Planning is a subject that annoys a lot of people in Southfield and the whole borough of Ealing, and this includes the huge number of skyscrapers to be built in South Acton bordering Southfield as well as the very expensive flats in Ealing Broadway (£744,000 for a one bedroom flat in the Filmworks development). Hardly affordable housing!

Many of these newly built flats remain empty due to the developers' high sale prices.

Liberal Democrat Councillors in our area are constantly hearing of residents who feel ignored by the Council's almost constant building programme where residents' objections are ignored.

The Liberal Democrats have been pressing Ealing Council to review its Local Plan (which would allow the Council to turn down developments that were unfit for our area like very tall buildings or ones that are not suitable for families).

Instead the Labour-run Ealing Council has allowed tall building after tall building without saying a word. Disgraceful.

The Liberal Democrats have launched a number of proposals which the Council should action to ensure that developments reflect what people in our area need:

• Update the Ealing's Local Plan ASAP so we have a default against tall buildings except in some key locations there are already tall towers. This will help retain the local character of many areas in Ealing.

• Councillors should not accept hospitality from developers.

• Residents to be consulted properly about planning matters and not in a tokenistic way.

• A Liberal Democrat Council will refuse to work with developers who have unresolved cladding safety issues, in line with London Liberal Democrat policy. The government and developers need to ensure they do not force leaseholders to pick up the pieces for huge repair bills to buildings.

• Make new buildings net zero carbon by charging developers £300 per tonne if their proposed buildings are not carbon neutral. Currently the Labour party seem happy to allow developers to pay less than a third of that meaning that developers are producing environmentally harmful buildings.

• More retrofits to help move Ealing towards the zero-carbon status.

• Work to generate more truly affordable and social housing.

• Developments must not mean sacrificing local facilities like libraries and youth centres for local people.

• Developers should plant trees for each unit of housing to help the environment and air quality.

No one is against affordable housing but there is little or no infrastructure that comes with these. Ealing has missed a great opportunity over the past number of years.

The Liberal Democrats want to change the direction of planning in Ealing and more Liberal Democrat Councillors would mean that the Council will listen to residents.