Administrators want to sell it off as quickly as possible
Concerns over the sale of the Arcadia site in Ealing Broadway has led to the Council threatening it could use its compulsory purchase powers.
The Arcadia site occupies an important position in Ealing centre - stretching from Springbridge Road in the west to The Broadway in the east, and from The Broadway in the south to Haven Green in the north.
In 2009, after a long fought campaign, the then Secretary of State rejected plans for the demolition of the centre which included proposals to build tower blocks.
Most of the land is owned by Glenkerrin Ltd who spent close to £10 million on the planning process — along with a further £100 million on acquisitions.
At the time, Glenkerrin Director, Sean O’Gorman said: “We’re bitterly, bitterly disappointed after three years of working through the due process,” he added. “We need to meet to look through the document and see what we’re going to do.''
Glenkerrin went bust last year. The council also owns a small part of the site and there a few other properties owned by different landlords.
The administrators handling Glenkerrin’s properties, Grant Thornton LLP, are seeking to sell their holdings quickly and are now considering the possibility of breaking it up into smaller parcels to achieve this.
The council don't see this as the best way forward and want the whole site purchased by one developer with a comprehensive plan that supports the council’s existing vision for regeneration of the town centre.
It may now support a developer by using its powers to issue a compulsory purchase order on the properties not owned by Glenkerrin to ensure this.
Councillor Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council, said: “I want to see a thriving and rejuvenated Ealing Broadway that will be a booming local centre for retail and employment. I believe that one of the best ways to achieve this is to encourage the whole development of the Arcadia site so that it attracts well-known high street shops and complements the Dickens Yard development.
“We want the administrators of Glenkerrin Ltd to sell the site as one lot. They now know that the council is prepared to step in and use its powers to help secure the best outcome for local residents and businesses, which is a comprehensive development of this important site.”
The decision was made by the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday, 24 January 2012. All Cabinet decisions are subject to call-in for a period of five working days from the date of publication of the minutes of the meeting.
26th January 2012