Following a four week public inquiry in 2017, a planning inspector found that the Council was completely out of order in claiming the Cycle Hub had been constructed as a recreational facility for people enjoying Haven Green. He also said that the CCTV cameras that the Council had installed were unlawful and should be removed.
However, he went on to say that the additional passengers using Ealing Broadway Station meant there were ‘exceptional circumstances’ to allow the Council to retain the hub by de-registering that part of the Green as Common land.
Objectors Friends of Haven Green (FoHG) were highly critical of the Inspector’s decision. In a strongly worded statement they accused Ealing Council of stealing the common land from the Ealing community. They said there were numerous alternatives for providing cycle parking around the station and it had no need whatsoever to build the hub on the Common land. However, threats by the Council that it would seek costs against the individuals in FoHG who were voluntarily donating their time to enhancing Haven Green were deterring them from challenging the Inspector’s decision. Ealing Council’s access to unlimited public funds to defend itself against individuals who dared to challenge their actions had left them with no alternative.
Following a four week public inquiry in 2017, a planning inspector found that the Council was quite wrong to claim the Cycle Hub had been constructed as a recreational facility for people enjoying Haven Green. He also said that the CCTV cameras that the Council had installed were unlawful and should be removed. However, he went on to say that the additional passengers using Ealing Broadway Station meant there were…
Following court action by The Friends of Haven Green (FOHG), Ealing Council has applied to the Planning Inspectorate to de-register the lozenge of land on which the cycle hub stands. FOHG had said that, because it is Common Land, it would require approval of The Government. FOHG say that this would set a precedent for Ealing and other councils to erode parts of other Common Land which is at present…