D-Day For Warren Farm Application
Council footpath ruling will impact QPR development
Ealing Council is to decide whether footpaths on land earmarked for QPR's new training ground should be registered as Public Rights of Way.
QPR is hoping to build a multi-million pound facility at Warren Farm - which is Metropolitan Open Land on the Ealing/Southall borders. Three years ago Ealing Council gave them the go-ahead to build but last year QPR submitted revised plans.
Campaign group Save Warren Farm (SWF) argue the 61 acres of public land worth £31.5million, has been 'gifted' to the football club for 200 years - rent free.
In May, a group calling themselves 'Our Land', chalked a message on the grass at Warren Farm to highlight the issue.
Last year, campaigners submitted two applications to try and protect footpaths on the land. They say the routes have been used for generations on a daily basis by people who live and work in Norwood Green and Hanwell.
QPR say they are hopeful the footpath applications will be resolved quickly and favourably, and want to progress with the development as soon as possible. They claim the majority of local residents and community groups are supportive and it's a minority that still oppose.
If QPR implement the current plans the site will be surrounded by a security fence and access to the footpaths by the general public will be cut off.
SWF has the welcomed news that the Public Rights of Way applications will be considered next month but a spokesperson says Ealing Council should be going further :
'' The Council should be working with the community to raise the comparatively small amount of money to build a new community pavilion. These are the best drained public pitches in the Borough yet the Council has allowed them to fall into disuse since they stopped maintaining them in September 2013. They should be left in public hands, and not given away for two centuries for no rent.''
Ealing Council say the meeting will be held on July 14th and it is a committee meeting - not a hearing - members will debate the report in the usual way and then make a decision.
22nd June 2016