ITV and BBC presenter Sean Fletcher and Acton residents condemn Ealing Council's handling of the 'not viable' Friary Park housing project. 

Cap the Towers is a residents' campaigning group in Acton with 'grave' concerns about financial viability of the Friary Park housing development which is underway near Acton Main Line station. 

Back in November 2019, prior to the original planning application for Friary Park development being approved, Case Officer from the Planning Department, Chris Maltby, reported to the planning Committee that the project was 'not financially viable'. 

Maltby's report stated: "The FVA (Financial Viability Assessment) has been rigorously tested by the council's own viability specialists and whilst some clarifications and negotiations have taken place in respect of agreeing some of the inputs there was broad agreement from the outset that the proposals were not financially viable in the current climate." 

Despite this, in a later Planning Committee meeting on 19 October 2022, Maltby responded to Councillor Sanjai Kholi's question on financial viability by saying the scheme was profitable. 

Cllr Kholi asked Maltby: "My question was basically targeted towards...was the original planning, which was consented, was it viable in terms of profitability." 

Maltby replied: "Yes councillor, it was." 

This was a false statement by the planning officer, according to Cap the Towers who have submitted video and documentary evidence to the council in support of their claim that this falsehood meant that the planning committee was seriously misled as to the financial viability of the original planning application.  

An artist's impression of the completed Friary Park development in Acton (credit: Mount Anvil).

Cap the Towers' worries come as the Ealing Liberal Democrats criticised the council for its judgment of construction partners impacting delivery across Ealing last month. 

The Lib Dems also commented that 'Ealing Council is showing time and again that it is not thorough enough in assessing financial viability.' 

Cap the Towers asks: "Is Friary Park in Acton set to go the same way as all these other stalled developments in West Ealing, Southall, Greenford, Northolt etc, thanks to Ealing Council's careless and casual attitude to the vital issue of financial viability when assessing and approving planning applications." 

Ealing Nub News has asked the council why it approved Mount Anvil's 2019 application despite the scheme being unviable according to assessments. 

A council spokesperson replied: "A financial viability assessment is used to demonstrate that a proposed development includes the maximum amount of affordable housing, which is not only a planning policy requirement, but also a key objective for the council. 

"In the case of the 2019 application, the development included proposals for a high number affordable housing which resulted in it being considered as potentially unviable, however, the applicant advised that through further grant funding and other measures the viability position would improve. 

"As advised and anticipated by the applicant, financial viability concerns were addressed through further funding, leading to commencement of the scheme." 

Regarding whether the council could assure residents that future developments in the area would not come to a standstill due to financial problems, as some recently have, it said: "The current economic climate is a difficult one due to high inflation, high lending costs and construction costs. 

"Although the council works closely with developers to ensure that developments are carried out in a safe and efficient manner, we are not party to the financial and management underpinnings of individual companies." 

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