History of South Acton

South Acton was Ealing's largest estate. The area was originally developed in the 1850s, but by the time of the Second World War was already in decline. This was exacerbated by extensive bombing during the war by the Luftwaffe owing to its closeness to busy railway junctions.

The old estate was cleared under post-war slum redevelopment from 1949 and rebuilt as a large tower block estate. This redevelopment took over 30 years to complete, and South Acton eventually became one of the largest municipal housing estates in west London, with almost 2,100 homes.

In 1999, a series of stand-alone schemes took place to address issues with specific blocks that were life expired, or suffering structural issues. In 2008, Ealing took the decision to comprehensively regenerate the area to achieve the transformation desired by residents.

Regeneration and Acton Gardens LLP

Acton Gardens LLP is a collaboration between L&Q, one of the largest housing associations in the UK, and award-winning house-builder Countryside Properties. The partnership won a vigorous competition to become Ealing's development partner in 2010, and a masterplan to guide future development was agreed in 2012 after one of the most comprehensive consultation programmes of its type.

The Acton Gardens Masterplan 2012

In 2012, this widely-consulted master plan to guide Acton Gardens’ development was given the go-ahead by Ealing Council.

The 2012 masterplan set out to deliver:

-The demolition of all existing homes and their replacement with 2,350 new energy-efficient and generously-sized homes
-Half of the new homes to be affordable
-Green and pleasant development based around five new parkland neighbourhoods
-Reintegration of the development into the surrounding area by improving access and permeability
-A 20% increase in open space, and additional allotments
-A brand new community hub including youth, community and retail facilities.

Acton Gardens’ first new homes were handed over in 2012 and over each phase, different architects were engaged to deliver blocks that were unique in character but fitted with the wider area. The architects instructed to date are:

Phase 1 - HTA Design LLP
Phase 2 - Alison Brook Architects
Phase 3.1 - Stitch
Phase 3.2 - Maccreanor Lavington
Phase 4 - PCKO Architects
Phase 5 - HTA Design LLP
Phase 6 - Levitt Bernstein Architects
Phase 7.1 - Stitch
Phase 9.1 - Allies & Morrison
Phase 9.2 - Allies & Morrison
Phase 9.4 - GRID
Phase 8.1 and 8.2 - Stitch

The Acton Gardens Revised Masterplan 2018

Following a period of public consultation and exhibitions, a revised Acton Gardens masterplan for the remaining masterplan area was submitted to Ealing in December 2018.

Acton Gardens worked with the council and the GLA to agree a substantial increase in the level of affordable housing that would be delivered through the proposals.

The revised masterplan set out to:
-Provide an uplift of 856 new homes within the masterplan area (totalling 3,463 new homes)
-Provide a 31% increase in the number of affordable homes that existed before the regeneration
-Provide three public parks, communal gardens, green streets and allotments
-Provide modern community and retail facilities.

To date, nearly 2,000 new homes have been built at Acton Gardens and the project will be providing one in every four new homes in Ealing until 2022.