No Ealing comedy for John Lewis « Euro Weekly News

The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) is pushing ahead with plans to build hundreds of rental properties on retail sites.

The diversification from John Lewis stores and Waitrose supermarkets involves a £500m investment to build 1,000 homes across three sites, which was first announced in December 2022.

In West Ealing, one of these locations, 96% of residents are understood to oppose plans for a tower block on an existing Waitrose site. A campaign group last year accused the JLP of “staggering arrogance” in ignoring concerns about the peak of future development.

Citing Ealing council’s failure to come up with a response, John Lewis launched a legal appeal and the project will be reviewed by a planning inspector.

The call was not taken lightly, said Katherine Russell, JLP’s director of build-to-rent.

“We believe we have a strong basis for success given the opportunity to transform an under-used brownfield site close to a publicly funded Crossrail station,” said Russell.

“All political parties agree that more housing and local investment is desperately needed to boost economic growth,” she added.

The 428 homes in West Ealing would generate an estimated £8m (€9.5m) council tax each year and boost the local economy with annual spending of £45m (€53.4m Of euro).

Only 83 of the West Ealing properties would be affordable, JLP confirmed on June 11, compared to the partnership’s previous commitment of 20 per cent, after initially saying it intended to deliver 35 per cent.