Plans for a 15-storey women-only tower block in West London have been approved. Ealing Council granted the Women’s Pioneer Housing Association’s (WPA) application. It will result in the construction of 102 new apartments. WPA-owned low-rise buildings in Brook House located across from Acton Town tube station, will be demolished and replaced.
Fifty-six people disagreed with the suggestions, while 8 expressed support. Residents, conservation organizations, and the Met Police expressed concerns about the building’s height. They also expressed the possibility of anti-social behavior, environmental impact, and pollution.
One opponent voiced concern that the region will transform into a “concrete jungle”. It was also revealed that the location had yet to be selected for tall structures according to the local policy of the Ealing Council.
Despite a large number of protests, Ealing Council stated that the issues were “not considered sufficient to outweigh” the approval recommendation. The council’s planning committee declared that “exemplary design” from the project’s architects, GRID, and “strong policy support” for affordable housing outweighed objections.
Read Also: World’s first tidal-powered deep-sea container terminal, construction on Centre Port UK
Tenants for the women-only tower block in West London
Only single women will be able to afford housing in the new apartments. Any woman who is female by birth or who has a “gender recognition certificate legally declaring them female” is eligible to join the WPA Policy’s public waiting list, as are transgender women who “intend to undergo, are undergoing, or have undergone gender reassignment” and non-binary people who meet the aforementioned requirements.
Men will only be allowed to reside in the women-only tower if they are the tenants’ partners. They will also be allowed if they are the adult children who eventually inherit the property. Women at risk of domestic violence and other perils, as well as women from ethnic minorities, will receive special attention when it comes to housing.
Current Brook House inhabitants will be permitted to return to the new building. However, they will need to find temporary housing while it is being built. Existing renters are worried about being evicted for years. They also felt that the new women-only tower block could not be big enough for their families.
