Gunnersbury Park has been saved!

The concerted campaign by local Lib Dems and residents to save the whole of Gunnersbury Park has been rewarded with a fabulous victory in the last 72 hours.  At this week's meeting of Ealing Council, I seconded a motion against building on Gunnersbury Park and all parties on the Council unanimously voted for an amended version including the words, "This Council is committed to improving Gunnersbury Park but rules out selling parts of the park to developers to help pay for it."

When I spoke to the Leader and Portfolio Holder subsequently, both confirmed that this meant that the administration has agreed to carry out the much-needed works to the historic buildings in Gunnersbury Park, but without following the scheme Ealing and Hounslow councils consulted on of building houses and flats on part of the Park to raise the money.  Neither were willing to be drawn on where the money would come from instead, but they indicated that Ealing's share of the funding was secure.  Now we just need Hounslow to find a way of coming up with its half!

I would like to thank everyone who expressed their concerns about this issue.  Whether at a public meeting, through Save the Trees in Gunnersbury, by signing our petition or by responding directly to the consultation document, everyone played their part.  It just shows what is possible when local people get together and draw a line in the sand (or grass in this case!) beyond which the Council leadership fear to tread.