Approval Given For Demolition of West Ealing Landmark
Woolworths building to be replaced by 15 storey residential tower
Approval has been given by Ealing Council to replace the Art Deco former Woolworths building in West Ealing with a 15 storey tower containing 120 flats.
The Planning Committee approved A2Dominion’s application this Wednesday evening (20 February).
The art deco building at 96 – 102 Broadway was purpose built in 1926 and has been described as ''just as handsome as those in Oxford Street or Kensington High Street’. It has an 11-bay, four-storey tiled façade and was the home of Woolworths until December 2008 when the company closed all their stores.
There were 256 written objections to the application. A2Dominion want to build a new residential complex (rising from 11 -15 storeys) of 120 flats, (20 studios, 52 one-bed, 40 two-bed, eight three-bed apartments).
West Ealing Neighbours (WEN’s) Chair David Highton argued against the application on the grounds of the loss of the façade, and the height and design of the new residential tower. He requested that the Planning Committee ask A2Dominion to go back to the drawing board and create a new design which incorporated retaining the façade.
Four Councillors voted to reject the application – Councillors Ball, Conlan, Morrisey and Sumner. Elthorne Ward Councillor Byrne spoke against the application and asked for West Ealing’s heritage to be saved.
(West Ealing in the 1960's)
In 2015 local residents voted at a public meeting to preserve the Woolworth’s façade as a heritage asset as part of the draft West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Plan. Over 1,200 local residents signed a petition to keep the façade at the time. However, in 2017 Ealing Council removed all heritage asset proposals from the draft plan and confirmed at this week’s meeting that they had rejected a request for the façade to be locally listed.
(Artist's impression of planned building - red and white design)
A2Dominion now have up to three years to begin the demolition.
February 21, 2019