Future of Twyford Avenue Sports Ground Discussed

Residents seek return of disused land to community use

The issue of the Twyford Avenue Sports Ground was up for debate in a recent meeting between a local residents group and the area's MP.

Angie Bray met residents from the Creffield Area Residents' Association to discuss the future the ground. For some years they've been frustrated that a four acre part of the site, which is designated as Community Open Space, has been cordoned off, locked up, left untended and unable to be used by the community – all this despite the fact it used to be used regularly by local people.

The area is adjacent to the pitches used by London Wasps rugby club and used to contain tennis courts. It is widely believed developers would like to build houses on the site but a certain number of years has to pass without being used for leisure purposes before it can be redesignated for residential housing.

The situation has got so bad that recently, when a fire started on the site, it was difficult to access and posed a big threat to the surrounding homes. Angie agreed with the residents that it's a shame the site is being left to go to rack and ruin and is not being put to any wider community use.

Since the meeting, she has written to the landowner, to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, and has raised the issue with Ealing Council's Chief Executive, Martin Smith. She is waiting to hear back from them before getting back in touch with the residents.