There are about 74,300 front gardens in the London Borough of Ealing. Since 1995, when pavement crossovers became “permitted development”, people have been able to destroy their front gardens by turning them into car parks. Householders can completely pave or concrete their front gardens as long as they put in token drainage. A large proportion of the borough’s front gardens are now completely covered in hard surfaces. Overnight charging of electric vehicles is further encouraging this.
Ealing Front Gardens Project's response to Ealing Local Plan
In its response to the Ealing Local Plan, Ealing Front Gardens Project takes the view that front gardens should specifically be included in the climate action and healthy living policies. This is because paving over a front garden to turn it into a car park creates a range of environmental, societal and aesthetic problems that have serious repercussions on the wider neighbourhood and beyond.
Furthermore, we feel that front gardens should be included in the Local Plan’s definition of community green space. Private gardens account for about a quarter of London’s total footprint and front gardens for about a quarter of that. Because what householders do to their front gardens can have major detrimental effects, and because front gardens are visible to all and contribute to the aesthetic and amenity value of the area, it follows that front gardens should be treated as having community value, and hence as community green space. Householders should be made aware of their community obligations in this respect.
See the link below for our full submission.
Further information about Ealing Front Gardens Project is available here.