West Ealing Neighbours on Arcadia

"The Secretary of State's decision is in response to the Government's 'Calling In' the Planning Application on 30th January, 2009 and a very combative Public Inquiry which took place in Ealing Town Hall from 23rd June to 9th July, 2009.

"The major opposers at the inquiry were Save Ealing Centre, Ealing Civic Society and Ealing Conservation Area Panels.

"The UK's pre-eminent Town Planner and Ealing resident Professor Sir Peter Hall spoke elegantly against the plans at the inquiry.

"Tom Cross was the opponents' barrister and his good work is to be applauded.

"Tom is now a first Judicial Assistant at the UK's new Supreme Court.

"The decision is a huge victory for the thousands of Ealing residents who didn't want Arcadia.

"It is also a massive victory for the Save Ealing's Centre (SEC) alliance of 26 Ealing community and residents' groups.

"SEC alliance members fought tirelessly against this scheme for over two years. They and other residents have spent thousands of pounds of their own money to help save Ealing's centre. WEN is a founder member of SEC.

"What is now needed is for all Ealing centre stakeholders to get together and work together to sensibly plan the development of Ealing centre. This work could and should dovetail with Ealing Council's LDF initiatives

"A good place to start would be SEC's Vision for the centre. This Vision mandates the design and implementation of an integrated transport hub based around Ealing Broadway Station as a pre-cursor to any other spatial development in the centre. See www.saveealingscentre.com."