Ealing Parks Foundation has called on Labour-run Ealing Council to defer Wednesday’s (9 September 2026) cabinet consideration of controversial plans for a three-year, 1,200-seat “pop-up” Troubadour theatre in Walpole Park, following what it described as a “massive wave of opposition” to the proposal.
The call comes amid mounting anger from residents, campaigners and opposition political parties at Labour-run Ealing Council over the proposed temporary theatre and the way the plans were announced, with concerns raised about the impact on the historic park, its wildlife and the public’s access to open green space.
The independent charity, which supports parks and green spaces across the borough, says council officers should instead meet key stakeholders to discuss the theatre proposal and alternative locations before the plans progress further.
Since the plans were revealed by Ealing Council on its Around Ealing website last week (2 September 2026), Ealing Parks Foundation (EPF) has come out strongly against the proposed location, residents have taken to social media to express their concerns and campaigners have been distributing leaflets.
A protest is also planned outside Ealing Council’s Perceval House headquarters at 4.30pm on Wednesday, ahead of the cabinet meeting.
Ealing Parks Foundation (EPF) co-chairs Jane Fernley and Paul Carter told EALING.NEWS: “Reflecting the massive wave of opposition generated since the documents went public this weekend, three petitions and a planned demonstration on Wednesday, EPF suggest the best way forward is for the item to be deferred and for officers to meet key stakeholders to discuss the offer and the options.
“EPF are ready to engage constructively on suitable alternatives.”
Opposition has grown rapidly since the plans became public. An official petition lodged through Ealing Council’s ePetition system had attracted more than 700 signatures by Monday (7 September 2026) evening, while a separate Change.org petition had passed 550 signatures.
A third petition launched by Ealing Liberal Democrats had attracted more than 1,250 signatures by Monday evening.
A spokesperson for campaigners against putting the theatre in Walpole Park told EALING.NEWS: “Enhancing cultural opportunities within the Borough is a laudible aim but we query why this needs to be at the expense of precious green space. There has been no transparency on other locations considered. There is no transparency on the financial arrangement this involves.
“Furthermore to characterise this as a pop-up initiative seems deliberately misleading. What are the chances that the 3 year lease will be extended and this will become a permanent fixture in the Park. All of these are important questions the Council must answer if it wants to garner community support.
The spokesperson also questioned whether the forthcoming public consultation would result in changes to the proposal and added:”I’m afraid many fear the promised consultation exercise will be a sham process but given the number of objections raised thus far the Council has on obligation to genuinely listen and reflect on community feedback before rubber stamping this controversial scheme.”
Ealing Council’s cabinet is being asked to agree in principle to grant Troubadour Theatres a three-and-a-half-year lease for part of Walpole Park. The proposed temporary theatre would have more than 1,200 seats and stage more than eight performances a week.
The council has further outlined its case for the proposed theatre in Walpole Park.
An Ealing Council spokesperson previously told EALING.NEWS: “The borough of Ealing has an extremely vibrant arts and cultural scene and we are committed to enhancing that even further. This new temporary world class cultural attraction would give local people incredible live entertainment on their doorstep at more affordable prices.
“The proposed pop-up theatre would occupy only part of Walpole Park, leaving the majority of it for public use. Like any planning application considered for events by the council we take into consideration the impact on local residents in particular how noise from performances and audiences will be managed, as well as lighting, security, stewarding, and safety, in addition the protection of the park and wildlife.
“We look forward to hearing the full range of views from local residents, park users, businesses and other people who want to contribute to the consultation when it goes live.”
But the council’s response has done little to ease concerns among those opposed to the plans.
One local resident told EALING.NEWS: “There are many in Ealing who support the arts sector and enhancing cultural opportunities within the borough, but not at the expense of precious green space.
“Once again, we say that to characterise this as a pop-up initiative when it will have a life of three and a half years is disingenuous. How do we know the lease would not be renewed thereafter? And how do we know the revenue generated would be ringfenced for investment in Ealing parks as promised.”
EPF also challenged the council’s description of the development as a “pop up” and its assurances over the impact on the park.
Ms Fernley and Mr Carter said: “Ealing Parks Foundation support a vibrant arts and cultural scene, but not at the expense of premier public green space.
“Given the nature of Troubadour events (high tech, lighting, noise), the project would be better located on a brownfield site with suitable access and services. This has been Troubador’s model elsewhere so why should Ealing be any different?
“World class cultural attractions and affordability are highly subjective – as yet we do not know what would be offered and at what price.
“A 1,200 seat structure with associated infrastructure (decking, hospitality, front of house) placed in the centre of the park for 3.5 years is a major, semi permanent installation (not a pop up); it will dominate the park and and servicing it will create ongoing disruption for park users and residents.
“The impact of this year’s relatively small scale summer festival is very evident on the grass surface; it is disingenuous to suggest the park and wildlife can be protected from negative impacts of a 3.5 year all weather, installation of this size.”
EPF also raised questions about the cabinet report recommending that councillors agree in principle to the lease, including why the proposal is being treated as a non-key decision, why alternative locations are not considered in the report and why there is no reference to impact assessments.
The charity also criticised the lack of prior engagement with the Ealing Parks Forum, a quarterly meeting bringing together Friends groups and other organisations involved in supporting parks and green spaces.
Ms Fernley and Mr Carter said EPF was disappointed the forum had not been engaged before the proposal was recommended, saying this showed “a lack of partnership spirit” despite the council’s stated commitment to community engagement.
Their concerns have also been echoed by Councillor Clare Welsby, leader of Ealing Green Party councillors, who said the council’s response had failed to address what would happen to Ealing’s summer festivals if the theatre goes ahead.
She told EALING.NEWS: “The Council’s response does not address the impact on the summer festivals and if and where they would be relocated.
“It starts from a fixed point of view – this is where this ‘pop-up’ theatre – which is not how many would describe a 1,200-seater theatre running eight shows a week – will be. They say they can hear from the community later after they have agreed this proof-of-concept test.
“The planning application will be for this location – Walpole Park for 3.5 years and although not taking up the whole of the park it will dominate much of it.”
Councillor Welsby also questioned why the proposal had not been discussed at the Ealing Parks Forum meeting last month (20 August 2026) or the West London Regional Park meeting last week (3 September 2026).
She said: “There are so many questions that need to be answered before this ‘concept’ is tested. Surely it should have been raised at the Ealing Parks Forum and the West London Regional Park Meeting on 20th August and 3rd September respectively. An environmental impact assessment should have happened before this site was selected as a test site.”
Councillor Welsby also raised concerns that the proposed timetable, which could see construction begin in January 2027, would leave insufficient time for alternative locations to be considered.
She said: “If the Council approve this ‘test’ in Walpole Park with the construction proposed to start in January – the consultation period will be limited and solely focussed on this one site with no time for the consideration of any other potential grey or brownfield sites.”
Concerns have also been raised by Sonja Garsvo, a former chair of Ealing Parks Foundation and a founding trustee of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery Trust, who said she supported further investment in arts and culture in Ealing but believed Walpole Park was the wrong location.
Ms Garsvo, who helped raise around £12 million towards the restoration of Pitzhanger Manor, told EALING.NEWS: “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.”
She said the proposal should not proceed in its present form and called for an independent assessment of its potential impact, including on traffic and parking, noise and light pollution, wildlife and biodiversity, the park’s ecosystem and landscape, Pitzhanger Manor, local businesses and residents.
Ms Garsvo added: “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.”
Ms Fernley from Ealing Parks Foundation also questioned the timing of the proposal, with Ealing Climate Week due to run from 19 to 27 September 2026.
She said: “This is deeply ironic coming two weeks before the Council plans a series of events and activities to celebrate their volunteers and to promote climate action week. You couldn’t make it up.”
Questions also remain over how long the Walpole Park proposal has been under consideration.
A Troubadour Theatres site plan for the proposed venue in Walpole Park seen by EALING.NEWS is dated 23 April 2024, more than two years before the plans were made public on 2 September 2026.
EALING.NEWS asked Ealing Council when discussions with Troubadour Theatres about using Walpole Park first began, why Ealing Parks Foundation and the Ealing Parks Forum were not informed about the proposal before it became public, and whether alternative locations had been considered.
The council did not address those questions in its response.
Troubadour Theatres has also been approached for comment.
 cabinet consideration of controversial plans for a three-year, 1,200-seat “pop up” Troubadour theatre in Walpole Park, following what it described as a “massive wave of opposition” to the proposal.){kind=link}