Ealing Council announces public consultation - what you need to know

Ealing Council Leader Peter Mason has made an announcement about the future of Warren Farm NR. He has stated that the council want to develop plans for the site to enable people both to enjoy nature and preserve its wild character, but also to provide sports facilities for local people. We want the meadow at Warren Farm to receive Local Nature Reserve designation in its entirety - please read on to find out more about our reasoning. A public consultation is now open!

Cllr Josh Blacker & Ealing Council Leader Peter Mason with our Warren Farm NR Skylark Map

As you are aware, The Brent River & Canal Society and Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign group have been in discussions with Ealing Council since May of last year. We’ve put forward our vision which has a petition of over 11,000 supporters seeking official Local Nature Reserve designation for Warren Farm NR and the surrounding Brent River Park Meadows. 

We are delighted that the council has stated its ambition to create a Local Nature Reserve at Warren Farm NR and to continue its incredible rewilding. This is a positive step in the right direction. However, many of you may be wondering how the proposal of sports facilities fits with our vision. Here’s our viewpoint and some useful facts to consider… 

Every Green Space Matters

We understand the council’s requirement to balance different interests when considering the future of Warren Farm NR. But things have changed a lot in the last 12 years since Warren Farm was used for sports provision - or indeed since Warren Farm was an actual farm! We are in a Climate Emergency and we’re witnessing biodiversity loss in the U.K at an abysmal rate. The government will require councils to show a Biodiversity Net Gain and in a nutshell, we do not believe this will be possible if any of Warren Farm’s species-rich meadow habitat is used for sport, removed or developed upon.

In our discussions with Ealing Council to date, our stance is clear in that we want to see Warren Farm given Local Nature Reserve designation in its entirety. This means we want the site to be protected for nature, wildlife, our ground nesting Skylarks, all of the common, rare and vulnerable plants we have recorded here (some of which we know are facing London and U.K. extinction) and for open public access for the enjoyment of the local community no matter your age, background or ability. Nature for all. 

Couple enjoying nature walk on Warren Farm NR. Photo by Stephen Haskett

Sports - The Where, What and Why

We are seeing excellent brand new provision for sport in Hounslow, Wyke Green just over the borough boundary. At Spikes Bridge in Southall and at Rectory Park in Northolt. These are all brilliant brand new facilities with plenty of capacity for existing demand. Additionally, in Ealing Council’s committee report (17th Dec 2013) Norwood Hall Playing Fields was identified in particular as having extra available sporting capacity. Ealing Council have also carried out extensive work to provide amazing sports facilities at Gunnerbury Park. All of these facilities are 3 miles or less from Warren Farm NR. 

It’s worth noting also that the council has not provided us with a single proposal from a sports club or evidence of demand since QPR pulled out and found a more suitable site. The Warren Farm Nature Reserve vision is the only proposal on the table and is supported by over 11,000 people. 

But let’s take a moment here to hypothesize, what if there were to be a proven demand and public desire for limited sports facilities here? Would this be something we could / should consider and what would this perhaps look like? 

The current location of the abandoned and derelict sports buildings, which have to be demolished for health and safety reasons (they are full of asbestos for starters!), is in the heart of the Local Nature Reserve. From a planning and design point of view, nothing else will be erected or built in this exact same spot. We are saying the derelict building area should be returned to nature and given to the Skylarks. 

Our U.K. Red-Listed Skylarks like big open spaces and the high ground in the middle of Warren Farm NR (the area near the Warren Farm Radio Flyer’s pitch and adjacent to the Earl of Jersey Field) is the area that needs to be absolutely prioritised for their protection. Therefore, we believe any ideas involving building reallocation and way forward for limited sports provision (or indeed a wildlife hub), could / should involve a review of the entrance area leading in from Windmill Lane car park. This corner of Warren Farm NR is of slightly lower nature conservation value and what we would lose from this corner, we would gain from the more central derelict building area being rewilded. 

This would be a compromise and is not part of our original vision – however, this very much depends on the size of the sports provision footprint, what the sport is in terms of the associated footfall, wildlife protection, land management and whether this is something you, our supporters, want to see here or not. Ealing Council want to know - What Do You Use Warren Farm NR for? You tell us daily over social media how you love to take nature walks, go bird spotting, photograph our wildlife, jogging, how vital Warren Farm NR became during lockdown with many of you describing to us how our meadows provided a lifeline for your physical and mental health during such a difficult and uncertain time. 

One of our Skylarks on Warren Farm NR. Photo by @Hamadryad527 (Instagram)

Have Your Say in the Ealing Council Public Engagement Survey

So please do take a couple of minutes to take part in the Ealing Council engagement link which can be found here. Share your thoughts and love of Warren Farm NR and if you don’t already, please follow us on social media @WarrenFarmNR (twitter and Instagram), and Warren Farm Nature Reserve (Facebook group) to get involved! 

Finally, we just really want to say THANK YOU! Without your on-going support, the continued signing and sharing of our petition, the love which you show us and Warren Farm NR every day with your amazing photos, art, poems and wildlife discussions, likes and comments, we would not have got this far in making Local Nature Reserve a reality here.

There is still a way to go, but together with your support and Ealing Council we are on the right path, we’ve made great strides and we keep flying high until Warren Farm NR is safeguarded for wildlife to thrive and for future generations to enjoy, forever. 

Team Warren Farm NR