Boroughs | Ealing

• Since 2022, Ealing has become one of the UK’s best-connected boroughs with five Elizabeth line stations with journey times of 10mins to Heathrow from the west of the borough and to central London from the east.  The Elizabeth line has made Ealing more attractive for businesses and workers to relocate to.
• Ealing Council has secured multi-million pound funding  from the Department of Levelling Up and Greater London Authority to improve major transport corridors and active travel connectivity in Northolt. This investment will unlock Northolt’s potential as a Strategic Area for Regeneration under the London Plan.
• Following consultation on a new Local Plan in early 2023, Ealing Council are currently processing the more than 13,000 representations received. In January 2024, the council is aiming to publish final proposals (Regulation 19) for public and stakeholder consultation, subject to member level sign off.
• Last year, the council launched the Southall Reset to create and build a new relationship with Southall’s residents and businesses and town masterplans for Northolt, Acton and Greenford and Perivale.
• Acton & Park Royal Creative Enterprise Zone – launched in 2022 – to support artists and creatives to find affordable workspace within the borough and amplify Acton’s sense of community and fun through new and existing local events.
• Ealing is working to become a Real Living Wage Place and will be encouraging borough based businesses through incentives to become a Real Living Wage employers. 
• Investing £250k in high street improvements and events and activities to boost footfall from Ealing’s allocation from the UKSPF. 
• Launched ‘Good for Ealing’ the council’s new Inward Investment programme to work in partnership with new and existing investors and major businesses and the new Investors Portal to match investors with vacant units and opportunity sites within the borough.
• 2022/23 – Delivered 2,989 good new jobs (GNJ) as part of the Council’s 10,000 GNJ target by 2026.

Connor McDonagh

Assistant director of Economic Growth, Regeneration and Planning

Email: McDonaghC@ealing.gov.uk

“Ealing might be known as the Queen of the Suburbs, but there is so much more to our history and our economy beyond the W5 postcode. We are seven towns, each with a sense of purpose, identity, and pride. Seven places with history, culture and opportunity for the communities that make them special.

We are London’s breadbasket, with some of the biggest food producers at Park Royal. We are the home of loud, where Marshall built his first amp. We are cinema’s best kept secret, with the oldest and the biggest number of studios and production suppliers. And we are the capital of British Asian culture and retail in the jewel of the crown that is Southall.

So much of what makes London a great city also creates some of its biggest challenges, so in Ealing we are forging that new path, by focussing our efforts and our investments in bringing good, well-paid jobs back, and bringing wealth and resilience to every part of the Borough.

We’ve already started by creating 2,000 new good jobs, tackling the climate crisis by investing in active travel and green infrastructure, and fighting inequality by finding new ways to deliver community and open spaces.

In a post-pandemic world, so many more Londoners are embracing the chance to live a healthier, more balanced life in which they can work, socialise, exercise and enjoy life closer to home. The revival of our local shopping parades, the growth of our office corridor, and the productivity in our industries is making that happen.”

• Sustainability: Economic development must promote sustainable and green economy industries and initiatives. The council is committed to being carbon neutral by 2030.  It has planted more than 37,000 new trees since 2018 and is committed to rewilding and protecting our endangered species and wildlife.
• Industrial land and affordable workspace: Ealing Council will secure, support and deliver industrial and affordable workspace to meet the needs of diverse and local businesses, create green and inclusive local economies and deliver good local jobs. This is part of the Industrious Ealing programme underpinned by recent Inclusive Growth, Industrial Workspace and Affordable Workspace studies. 
• Ealing’s new local plan: Ealing Council’s draft new Local Plan sets out how life across all the seven towns in Ealing borough might develop over the next 15 years – from climate and transport to open spaces and homes, and many more things besides. The first stage of the consultation closed on 8 February. More than 11,000 residents across the borough shared their thoughts with the council and it is now working on publishing its first high level summary report in the spring with the full extended report due to be published in the summer. The feedback is now being used to put together a final version of the Local Plan.
• Town centres and businesses: Supporting businesses and high streets through initiatives including the High Streets Taskforce action plan to reactivate high streets, new public spaces and increase footfall; launching a new Creative Enterprise Zone in Acton, supporting set up of new traders’ associations and business sector forums and working with BIDs.  Working closely with stakeholders to develop and implement a 20-minute neighbourhood frameworks for the borough across our seven towns. Investing £250k in high street improvements from Ealing's allocation from UKSPF. The council is working to activate vacant spaces with owners to help bring them back into meanwhile and longer-term use. 
• Employment and Skills: Ealing Council has a target of helping to create 10,000 good new jobs over the next four years. To help achieve this the council is continuing to deliver two partnerships established in 2021 to support residents back to work. The Southall Jobs Partnership supports Southall residents in training, employment and identifies local priorities and needs in terms of employment and skills. The Youth Offer Partnership works with partners to deliver an exciting and collaborative education, training and employment offer, including apprentices, for young people aged 16 – 30 that helps them to obtain the skills and experience they need to find quality employment, and reduce youth unemployment. These Partnerships have improved access to training and increased the promotion and delivery of services to residents and helped decrease unemployment in both groups.