Ealing invites residents to join it’s community review panel

Ealing Council is inviting residents to join its community review panel and help shape the borough’s future planning and development projects.

The panel, which plays an independent role in local planning, reviews proposals covering new homes, transport, green spaces, sustainability and the wider environment. Its feedback is formally reported and used to inform design decisions and planning applications before they are submitted, helping ensure new development is high quality and responsive to local needs.

Applications are open to anyone aged 18 or over, and no previous experience in planning, architecture or design is required. The council says it especially wants to hear from younger people and residents who are not already involved in community groups, so the panel better reflects the borough’s diversity. Members meet regularly and also benefit from learning and development opportunities that build knowledge on subjects such as sustainability.

One of the panel’s younger members, 25-year-old Dionne Bimpong from Greenford, says joining gave her a direct way to contribute to the place she calls home. She explained: “Growing up in Ealing, where my family has put down its roots, and coming from a Ghanaian heritage, has given me a unique perspective on the borough’s social and cultural infrastructure. The community review panel stood out as an opportunity to actively take part in shaping its future.”

Dionne said her perspective has helped her focus on whether developments reflect local character, support existing communities, and address safety and accessibility, including lighting, routes, visibility and conditions at night. She also noted that the panel is approachable and does not require technical planning knowledge, with meetings designed to be easy to follow and based on local lived experience.

According to the council’s strategic director of economy and sustainability, Peter George, the panel is an important way for residents to influence how the borough grows and changes. He encouraged anyone interested in the future of Ealing to learn more and apply. Further information and applications are available through the council website.