Local councillors have reacted angrily to a decision to spend most of the cash from developers of Chiswick Business Park outside of the Chiswick area. The bulk of the money is being diverted to fund projects in a nearby ward which is represented by the leader of Ealing Council, John Cudmore.

Of the £111,000 given by the developers, over £90,000 will be spent in the South Acton ward leaving just £10,000 for Southfield ward which covers the Acton Green area.

Local Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Mitchell said, "Southfield and the Acton Green area by Chiswick Park are most affected by the Chiswick Park development. This cash was to help with the resulting transport and safety issues, not for Labour to spend willy-nilly."

The claims mirror those made by Hounslow borough residents in Chiswick, that much of the money paid over by the developers is being diverted to other parts of the borough. Originally permission was granted for the development to be built on the condition that the developers contributed £14mn into a fund which would enable the building of an interchange station with the Piccadilly line. However the plan was abandoned when London Underground refused to consider the proposal. The money has since been used to fund the implementation of local Controlled Parking Schemes and there were plans for a footbridge linking Chiswick Park tube station to the scheme.

Cllr. Harvey Rose added, "We agree that more must be done about deprivation in South Acton, but not with money intended to make life easier for residents living in the Chiswick Park and Bollo Lane areas,”

The Liberal Democrats had proposed an even split of the cash to give Southfield up to £30,000 extra for street lighting, road safety, trees and recycling.

The number of people working at Chiswick Business Park has recently passed 3,000. When the scheme is complete there will be over 12,000 people working there.

October 26, 2004