A West London community group has called on councillors to reject plans to build nearly 900 homes near Grove Farm.

The group has warned that the development in Sudbury, Ealing could damage protected green space. The plans include the construction of an 882-home development near Sudbury Hill Underground Station, and feature a mix of conventional and co-living homes. The plans are currently under consultation and a date has not yet been set for it to go before a planning committee.

Wendy Knight is a resident and member of Friends of Grove Farm. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that she hopes planners reconsider the scale of the development.

She said: "Grove Farm is a very special reserve situated in a populous area, it provides sanctuary for wildlife and people. The UK is sadly one of the most wildlife depleted countries in the world and at a time of climate crisis, it is vital that Grove Farm remains intact.

"I have recorded wildlife at the reserve, from invertebrates to mammals such as bats. Any removal of trees, which provide food and shelter for these animals will have a damaging effect on the biodiversity of the reserve.

"The building plans are too large and intrusive, I therefore urge the planners to reconsider the scale of this development."

In the planning documents, the developer argues that the application would "provide improved pedestrian connections" to Grove Farm. Alongside this, there are proposals to create a landscape and ecological management plan which includes measures to enhance the site for the foraging and commuting bats.

According to the developer, new measures would have a positive impact on specific species in the park. However, it has admitted that there will be some risks during construction, such as impacts on the ecosystem.

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Once completed, the development is expected to cause "some adverse effects on local ecology receptors". The documents note that certain ecological enhancements, like meadow creation, will "likely be unsuccessful due to heavier human pressure" on the park.

To mitigate this, fencing will be erected to prevent "casual human access" to Coston's Brook and the woodland areas where badgers live. However, some residents do not believe these mitigation measures are enough.

Mike Pilkington, a founding member of Friends of Grove Farm says the site has "become part of my and my family's life". He added: "It's a beautiful, calming space, where you can be walking down a path, turn a corner and watch as a red kite takes flight from a tree or walk into one of the meadows and watch as wind causes waves through the tall grass…

"This is not the first attempt to develop the car park of Atrium Point by the developers, however we hoped that when they returned with a new design, that our suggestions about how special Grove Farm Local Nature Reserve is and how the development needed to not only complement the nature reserve, but also the community of Sudbury Hill [would be considered].

"We as a group appreciate the need for housing and hoped by working with the developer that a design could be created that matched our hopes and what the area required, however we've been left disappointed by the results."

He added: "Often when you walk around the site you feel like you've stepped away from suburbia into the countryside. That feeling will be lost.

"It's exhausting to keep going through the planning process and watch as the towers get higher with each iteration, with more of nature disappearing under the footprint of the buildings. When we speak to other residents about the development they feel disengaged from the process. There's a sense that nothing changes and that voices aren't being heard."

The plans, which can be viewed on Ealing Council's planning portal with the reference 261463FUL, are currently still out for consultation and residents have until Wednesday, June 3, to comment.