Councillors raise concern over plans for 577 bedsits in small corner of West Ealing

Residents of West Ealing will have noticed the clouds of dust and noise of the demolition of two buildings that flanked the pedestrian area of St James Avenue at 99-113 Broadway. But they may not be aware that the demolished buildings will make way for two buildings which will house 215 rooms in a “home of multiple occupancy.”

The former Woolworths store across the road at 96-102 is long demolished but developers Prime Phenix plan to build 268 “co-living spaces” on the site. The former Kwik Fit site at 131-137 Broadway is due to house a further 94 co-living spaces.

We can ditch the marketing and planning jargon over HMO rooms and co-living spaces and see these spaces as what were formally known as bedsits or studios. If we add them all up, we will see 577 bedsits for single men or women concentrated in a very small area of West Ealing.

Councillor Andrew Walkley, who represents Hanwell Broadway, which includes the northern side of West Ealing, for the Green Party, said the developments are not a long-term housing solution and indicate a broken housing system. “I don’t see these types of accommodation as offering stable communities - either for the people occupying them or their neighbourhoods.”