By Megan Stanley

Ealing Council has blamed the government for delays to controversial developments in the borough as it was accused of making no progress with the plans. The Town Hall and Perceval House are both set for huge changes but construction is yet to start – despite plans being approved years ago.

Ealing's Town Hall is set to become a boutique hotel, with developer Mastcraft set to restore the historic building into a high-quality, boutique hotel. The plans were first revealed in 2016 when Ealing Council claimed it could no longer afford to run the building and fund further repair works due to local government funding cuts.

Development of the Town Hall is on pause after locals claimed that Victoria Hall, which makes up a fifth of the building, is owned by Ealing residents.  In March 2021, the charity commission, which ran the hall on behalf of Ealing residents, agreed to let the council take over the space. Locals and the council now await a postponed court hearing which will determine whether the development can continue.

Next door, Perceval House will be demolished and replaced with new energy-efficient offices, 477 homes, a brand new library and shops. Councillors approved the plans in 2021, despite strong opposition to the 26-storey tower that has been nicknamed "Gotham Tower" by opponents. 

Conservative opposition councillors claimed on Tuesday (November 1) that no progress has been made on either project and called for the Labour administration to abandon the developments. Ealing Broadway Councillor and Conservative group leader, Julian Gallant, said "The Town Hall is an iconic Ealing landmark, yet it clearly needs renovating, plans to convert it into a hotel were passed in 2019 and upgraded in September 2022. 

"Yet the construction is nowhere in sight, largely because the council failed to foster all-important good relations with the Victoria Hall Trust and the plans now rest on a postponed hearing which will determine who will own Victoria Hall. 

"Many residents we know oppose the redevelopment of the Perceval House site but the plans were pushed through by the council regardless. There has been no progress, is it because the plans are too expensive post-pandemic and the developer no longer wants to proceed? 

"The point is that this project cannot be left to wither on the vine, we say get on with it or give up. Amidst all the promises we think there is a lack of confidence, lack of fortitude and lack of sheer grit in this council. We urge them to focus in, make progress and make it soon."

Councillor Gregory Stafford added: "This Labour administration has had twelve years to get on with the job and some of the projects have been dragging on for eight years. 

"This administration are completely enthralled to developers and will want to build anything anywhere, as high as possible and as small as possible they can get away with. You just have to see in my own ward of Twyford Abbey, they pushed through yet another development on Metropoltiian open land green space."

In response, Labour councillors have claimed the impact of the cost of living and the turbulent economy is to blame for the delays. Councillor Shital Manro, cabinet member for good growth, said: "The Tories live in this land of milk and honey, they always seem to think we can just wave our hands and make things happen. 

"What's happened in these last six months while we've been elected? We have had people trash the economy, we've had two years of Covid, and building costs have gone up by 50, 60, and 70 per cent in terms of materials. 

"House building is coming to a halt – many of the projects that housing associations are running. They are coming to us and saying 'we can't financially uphold these projects anymore'. Very large housing associations we've been working with for many years are saying 'these projects are no longer viable.'

"We have the same issues with our own projects, yes, and we are custodians of public money and we are not going to carry out a project and then just wish that everything will be okay."