Sonja Garsvo, a former chair of Ealing Parks Foundation and a founding trustee of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust, has had a long involvement with Walpole Park and Pitzhanger Manor. Here, she explains why she supports bringing a major new theatre to Ealing but believes Walpole Park is the wrong location for the proposed 1,200-seat Troubadour venue.
“I, like many others, would certainly welcome investment in arts and culture in Ealing, and I believe that, in the right venue, a development of this nature could be a very positive addition to the borough. Troubadour has a strong track record of bringing popular West End productions to local communities, and I recognise the potential cultural and economic benefits this could bring.
“However, I strongly believe that this is the wrong venue for this particular development. The proposal would result in the local community being denied access to a significant part of this Grade II Heritage Park for a prolonged period, with consequences that have not, in my view, been properly assessed.
“Before more than £5 million was invested in restoring the Park in 2014/15, annual footfall was approximately one million visitors. Since then, a substantial number of new apartments have been built in the surrounding area, and it is reasonable to assume that use of the Park has increased significantly. The Park is an important and much-used local green space and, for many residents, is the only readily accessible green space in the immediate area.
“The loss of a substantial part of the Park would therefore have a significant impact on the wellbeing of local residents, particularly families with children. This is not simply a question of temporarily losing access to some open space; it is about removing part of an important community asset from public use at a time when demand for green space is already high.
“The anticipated additional footfall of approximately 9,600 people per week would also inevitably create significant additional pressures on the surrounding area. These include increased traffic, congestion, parking pressures and general public nuisance, as well as potentially substantial noise and light pollution. The cumulative impact on local residents needs to be properly assessed rather than assumed to be manageable.
“There are also serious environmental concerns. The increased activity, lighting, noise and footfall could have a detrimental impact on local wildlife and the Park’s wider ecosystem. Given the historic investment made to restore the Park and its landscape, it would be entirely appropriate for the environmental consequences of the proposal to be independently and comprehensively assessed.
“I am also particularly concerned about the impact on Pitzhanger Manor and the cultural character of the Park as a whole. As one of the founding trustees who helped raise approximately £12 million for the restoration of Pitzhanger Manor, as well as funding for the restoration of the Park to reflect the original vision of Sir John Soane, I feel a particular responsibility to ensure that the extraordinary cultural and heritage asset that has been created is protected.
“Pitzhanger Manor and its surrounding landscape already provide Ealing with a significant and distinctive cultural offering. I am concerned that introducing a large temporary commercial development into the Park could, rather than enhancing that offering, significantly diminish it. The relationship between the Manor, the landscape and the wider Park is an important part of what makes the site special and should not be compromised without very careful consideration.
“Finally, I have considerable concerns about the apparent speed with which the Council is seeking to progress this proposal, particularly given the stated intention to begin construction as early as January 2027. A development of this scale and significance deserves a full, transparent and detailed consultation with residents, local organisations, heritage bodies, environmental interests and all other relevant stakeholders.
“Residents should not be expected simply to accept the loss of a significant part of their Park for several years without having access to a comprehensive and independently verified assessment of the proposal’s impacts. This should include, at a minimum, the effects on traffic and parking, noise and light pollution, local wildlife and biodiversity, the Park’s ecosystem, heritage and landscape, Pitzhanger Manor, local businesses and residents, and the availability and accessibility of alternative green space.
“I am not opposed to investment in arts and culture in Ealing. On the contrary, I strongly support it. But such investment must be appropriate to its setting and must enhance, rather than diminish, the exceptional cultural, environmental and community assets that Ealing already possesses.
“For these reasons, I believe the current proposal should not proceed in its present form. At the very least, there should be a full and independently assessed impact review, followed by meaningful consultation with the local community and all relevant stakeholders, before any decision is taken to proceed.”
