A petition opposing plans for a 1,200-seat theatre in Ealing has passed the threshold needed to trigger a public meeting.
With more than 4,200 signatures collected by campaigners, residents are resisting the Troubadour proposal of bringing large-scale theatre productions to Walpole Park, Ealing Broadway.
The temporary venue would be constructed in one of the least accessible green spaces in London, also listed as Grade I heritage space. Those who have signed the petition have raised environmental, heritage and public-access concerns.
Nick Lane, local resident and Save Walpole Park campaigner who started the e-petition, said: “It is hard to imagine a more inappropriate use of this open space at a time when climate change and other factors make it even more fundamental to the health well-being of residents.”
The project, which would run for three years and is intended to accommodate more than eight performances a week, risks colliding with Policy G4 of Ealing’s Local Plan. The regulation says development in green and open spaces should be led by nature conservation and recreation, with the size of development and its impact kept to a minimum.
Campaigners argue the commercial lease for a large theatre therefore needs to be considered against the council’s existing commitments to protecting nature. A Save Walpole Park spokesperson said: “Troubadour will be given a 3.5 year lease but the threat to wildlife and bird breeding grounds are likely to be irreversible.”
Troubadour Theatres’ plans would also change how Ealing’s Summer Festivals are organised. The part of Walpole Park earmarked for the theatre currently hosts festival events, which would have to move elsewhere if the project goes ahead.
Marc Goodchild, local resident and campaigner of Save Walpole Parke, said: “This is a popular and well used green space at the heart of the neighbourhood. To think this will be taken away and ruined is really shocking to everyone we speak to in the community.”
Those behind the theatre proposal point to the potential economic impact on the area with a larger programme of performances that could also bring additional visitors to Ealing.
Council leadership has stated this scheme is about rejuvenating cultural opportunities for Ealing residents with the theatre providing West End theatre productions at prices local residents can afford.
An Ealing Council spokesperson said: “The borough has a vibrant arts and cultural scene and this proposal could bring a world-class cultural attraction to Ealing, providing local people with access to high-quality live entertainment on their doorstep.”
A council report on the temporary venue states that the scheme would support the Council Plan, its Pride in Place objectives and Ealing’s Cultural Manifesto by increasing access to high-quality cultural experiences, strengthening town-centre identity and supporting the growth of the local cultural economy.
However, Save Walpole Park campaigners have questioned how these promises would work in practice, arguing that no specific pricing or discount structure has yet been published.
A Save Walpole Park spokesperson said: “There is no evidence of a comparable local-resident discount scheme already running at Troubadour’s other sites that residents could point to as a precedent.”
Political opposition has also grown. Ealing Liberal Democrats and Ealing Green Party have jointly called for other locations to be examined, while making clear that they support the idea of a new theatre in Ealing.
Walpole Park and Pitzhanger Manor have previously been restored through an investment of £10.5million, including public and heritage funding aimed at preserving and improving the area.
Liberal Democrat leader Gary Malcolm said he believed the temporary commercial venue risked undermining the long-term investment made to restore and enhance Walpole Park and Pitzhanger Manor.
The Liberal Democrats currently have 13 councillors on Ealing Council, making them the largest opposition group on the 70-seat authority.
Malcolm said he had spoken to both the Green Party and Conservatives about opposition to the plans, but said the Conservatives had decided not to issue a joint statement.
The Lib Dem leader added: “We want to get as many people to sign petitions as possible so that the Labour Council can see that many thousands of people are totally annoyed at Labour’s plans.”
The Liberal Democrats are also encouraging residents to attend council meetings as the proposal moves through the remaining stages of the approval process.
The council’s latest decision means the theatre proposal can continue through the planning process, although further approval will be needed before construction can begin.
An Ealing Council spokesperson said: “We recognise some residents have concerns about issues such as noise, traffic, the impact on Walpole Park and the wider effect on local communities. These are exactly the matters that would be carefully assessed through the planning process.
“The council will consider feedback from both processes before any final decisions are reached.”
Featured image credit: Save Walpole Park
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