Park sell-off plans halted (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Campaigners joy as Gunnersbury Park plans scuppered

12:38pm Friday 23rd October 2009 in News By Joanna Kilvington

A campaign group is celebrating after moving a step closer to stopping a controversial housing development at Gunnersbury Park.

A motion on the management of parks and green spaces was passed this week by Ealing Council, which jointly manages the park with Hounslow Council, that could help prevent the popular green space being sold off for residential development.

The motion stated: “This council is committed to preserving the borough’s parks and green spaces and enhancing their role as providing amenity for the community.

“This council is committed to improving Gunnersbury Park but rules out selling parts of the park to developers to help pay for it.”

The news was welcomed by campaigners, but Hounslow Council has yet to pass the same motion.

Among the campaigners is Bela Cunha, a member of Save Trees in Gunnersbury (Stig) – set up to protect more than 400 trees in Lionel Road North - who said she was overjoyed.

Ms Cunha, who has been campaigning to protect the park for more than 20 years, said: “The Stig steering members were jumping up and down with joy at the news.

“We still have to wait and see what happens.

“It could be they’ve looked at the consultation and seen the results aren’t in their favour.”

The declaration from Ealing Council comes following a consultation with households living around the park that asked if residents agreed with the land being sold to raise the £39m needed to regenerate the park and its deteriorating houses.