The Friary Park public exhibition for the final phase of the project took place last weekend, but some local residents still feel their opinions have not been heard.

Developers Mount Anvil and Peabody presented its proposals for Phase 3 of the Friary Park project, also known as The Verdean, to Acton residents in its exhibition event on Saturday, 13 July and Monday, 15 July.

The final phase of the project proposes 700 new homes, 133 of which are affordable but some local residents and Acton campaign group, Cap The Towers, criticise the developers for coming back with taller towers.

TV Presenter and Acton resident, Sean Fletcher, tells Nub News: "Once again it is them (Mount Anvil and Peabody) returning to add more height, which is what they continue to do and we've got evidence from 2019, that they were planning to do this all along.

"I don't feel like the community has been considered at all."

Completed towers from Phase 1 of the Friary Park project (credit: Cesar Medina).

The approved Phase 3 plans from Ealing Council include 14 tower blocks, featuring one at 22 floors, another at 18 floors, and a third at 14 floors. The 14 approved blocks total to 576 homes.

However, in its most recent proposals the developers want to build 12 tower blocks, featuring one at 24 floors, a second at 23, a third at 22 and a fourth at 20. These proposed 12 blocks equal 700 homes.

In its plans Mount Anvil say: "Through detailed design development of Phase 3, the proposed buildings have been re-configured to improve the space between buildings, provide better public and communal open spaces, and create more elegant buildings which are consistent with the scale and massing of the family of neighbouring buildings already in construction."

The Friary Park consented Phase 3 plans (credit: Mount Anvil & Peabody).

The Friary Park proposed Phase 3 plans (credit: Mount Anvil & Peabody).

In addition, Mr Fletcher feels that Londoners have not been prioritised in the marketing of the homes from the Friary Park development but instead foreign investors have, as the flats can be found on Savills Singapore and in other countries.

The developers previously broadcasted the project to potential Chinese investors back in 2021 but has not replied to an Acton resident's request to see a flat according to Mr Fletcher.

"We accept that there is going to be building in here (Acton) and high rises. What we don't like is the fact that they are being marketed abroad very heavily," Mr Fletcher explains.

He adds: "There is no show home here, there's no marketing suite here. David (Acton resident) the other day tried to have a look around as a local person.

"There is no 'ok, well, maybe we can show you around a flat and someone is going to call you back,' but nobody's called him back, so there's no there's no provision for local people to really look at the properties here...this is profiteering not listening to local people." 

On a board facing Friary road it reads 'New homes for all Londoners' yet the development is being marketed abroad (credit: Cesar Medina).

Phase 3 promises to bring a 1,209 square metres more green open space to Friary Park, an increase of 10%, a new play area and a new community centre that is 239 square metres larger than the original centre.

As of now, the developers has secured approval for 1,228 homes with 455 of them being affordable homes at Friary Park. Equivalent to 46% of affordable housing.

The public consultation process for Phase 3 is expected to run until August 2024 when Mount Anvil and Peabody submit its Phase 3 proposals to Ealing Council.

Mount Anvil and Peabody has been approached for comment.

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