REGENERATION
Cinema
leads way
Several regeneration
projects in the heart
of Ealing town centre
promise to continue
a transformation that
started with the almost-
completed Dickens Yard
complex of homes, shops,
restaurants and a public
square. Phil Brent reports.
T
he projects that matter most to
residents include transforming
the old cinema site into an
eight-screen cinema, plus
shops and much-needed new homes;
and finding other ways of adding more
housing in the area – including through
the regeneration of Ealing Council’s
head office Perceval House.
Council leader Julian Bell said: “Both
of these plans include much needed
genuinely affordable homes for our town
centre, supporting our pledge of 2,500
new homes. At no cost to the council,
they would also provide us with a modern,
new customer service centre and library,
and a smaller office block for council
workers that will be cheaper to maintain
and run. Importantly, at long last, we
will also have our cinema back in Ealing
– something so many of us have been
working for, and wishing for, for so long.”
22
around ealing Summer 2019
Adding to this is the planned
renovation of Ealing Town Hall to
include a hotel, restaurant, community
event space and bar in the west wing
while keeping its civic functions in
the east wing.
Councillor Bell said: “Ealing Town Hall
is loved by local people. That is why
any plans would have to preserve it as
the civic heart of the borough for future
generations. Mastcraft has a track record
in restoring and converting historic
buildings into high quality hotels.
“Our borough has been recognised
for its economic and regeneration
potential. Rightly so, because there is so
much going on. The eventual arrival of
Crossrail will make the area even better
connected and help us to continue to
attract more investment and jobs.”