An Elastoplast Solution for Gunnersbury Park That Suits Nobody
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert reports back
Brentford West councillor Guy Lambert
September 11, 2026
Turns out it has been quite a busy week. Starting with the repeated delights of planning. I sometimes worry why I fought to get myself on the Planning Committee (thank you to Liberal Democrat Roger Crouch who agreed a swap) because the meetings are often acrimonious and lengthy, and I am usually in a minority. sometimes the lonely one opposer!
This time I was in good company on the matter of Gunnersbury Park. For the record, I don't think commercial events are the golden solution for Gunnersbury Park. On the contrary, the current arrangement we agreed last week is merely Elastoplast against a wound which is not healing. I do think there is scope for events but the access should be from the A4 or A406 - not from Popes Lane and Lionel Road - and the northern section of the park not overrun by lorries and vehicle tracks. And the two councils (and other agencies of government or private finance) need to provide the bulk of funding to put it on a sustainable track. In my opinion, this will never happen whilst the park is a joint venture between two councils.
The other one which I was exercised about was the conversion of current commercial units in Isleworth (low rent because that's the nature of commercial units) into unaffordable housing (bonanza for developers). I have got my name into MyLondon courtesy of Green Party chums for this.
Officers and developers claimed half the units were empty, but I took the trouble to go and look at them so it must have been phantom cars, lorries and people in those units! Spooky.
Enough of that for now. Planning (in case you haven't noticed) is important to me but I now have parole from it until November, because I am on holiday for the one which will be held on 1st October.
On Friday I briefly attended a birthday party at 'my' Lambert Lodge for one of the people who live there. He is a youngster compared to me and it was a good session for me to get down with the kids, though I'm not sure they see it that way 😂
I was planning to go to the Musical Museum for the start of my volunteering for the Creative Mile, but I had a call from my colleague Jasmine asking if I could go to Heston for a presentation by a developer about a green area called Rectory Farm next to the A4 between Heston and Cranford.
This has basically been unused for as long as I remember but I remember approving a really innovative planning approval several years ago. Under that grass there is 4 or 5M depth of gravel, and apparently this is a very important building material for London. The plan was to dig it out in phases, build underground warehouses to support Heathrow and rebuild (if that's the word) the surface as 'the biggest park in London since Regents Park'. Of course, that never happened so there is a new proposal to dig out the gravel but fill the hole and return it mainly to farmland with some amenity space and better paths, though of course that will take more than 10 years, doing it in stages.
The development is not in Jasmine's ward but it's not far away, and she is a dedicated councillor as a long-standing member of the Heston Action Group (I have actually litter-picked on Rectory Farm which has horrendous flytipping at least once before with the badly-named HAGs) and wants this important site to be treated properly. The site is in Heston West Ward and bordered by Cranford ward and very close to Hounslow West but of course no other councillors bothered to turn up, just two Greens from elsewhere and some residents. I'm sort of OK with it, but we'll see what the planning application says!
On Saturday I started volunteering for Creative Mile. I was allocated to the Maryville Care Home and asked the organiser if he was trying to tell me something. He laughed a lot, so I don't really know the answer.
It was pretty nice inside the Care Home with (as you can see) the added bonus of a view to our iconic police station.
Eventually I got my T-shirt after somebody managed to get into the Digital Dock which was locked and nobody could get access until lunchtime.
Looking like the teenager that I actually am despite what some people say, pointing people at the Care Home/
In the afternoon I was free to follow the trail and went first to Footprints. Some people had trouble finding it but I did after some searching. Very secluded - a lovely garden with a vibrant studio and an artist in there.
Lots of pictures but this one caught my eyes, as did some postcards which I bought for future use. Then I went to the library and made a donation to the FoodBox: when I was still involved we were very lucky with donations but apparently they have fallen a lot, which seems to be a widespread problem with charities. My number came up which meant I have become the proud owner of a bit of art. I bought one without a frame on the basis I could roll it up and transport it on a bike.
Some weavers were at the library (or was it - I went so many places!)
The lady who weaved this said she was an amateur, and some of the weaving was neater, but she should be proud of what she did!
Then down to Lots Ait, always a highlight. This gorgeous boat being made on the mezzanine up high
People somewhere (!) cherishing our rivers and canal and saying we should do more to celebrate it - I agree.
Then watched a bit of dancing in Watermans Park.
That was for the children but you can barely see them for the parents.
And some more outside One Over the Ait.
Then I went to the Steam Museum and spoke to a number of the workshop people there which is always a pleasure. Good to go to what is really their open day and I'm always impressed by what they do.
Finally I went to the new arts space on the GWR on what we have tended to call the Sega building, but is formally 27 Great West Road.
Nothing really started there yet but it's a fantastic 'meanwhile' place - loads of space and in great condition.
That was my weekend over. Next stop was Tuesday at the Mulberry Centre at West Middlesex Hospital. This is a charity which supports people who are being treated for cancer, and their loved ones. On the way there I noticed there was watery stuff in the air and as I cycled down there some of this watery stuff landed on my head and trousers. A very unfamiliar thing and the lady at the Mulberry Centre explained to me that it was something called 'rain' and getting wet was normal and nothing to worry about. When I was reminded, I recalled that I had seen this 'rain' in the past but I had forgotten all about its existence.
In the afternoon I had an update about Holly House. We are getting near to the end of the works but there are financial matters for tenants and leaseholders to be worked through so the Lead member Sue Sampson was there together with some senior officers. I have been calling for all this to be formally dealt with once the work is finished - expected to be this month - so we can have a more sensible conclusion (more later).
On Wednesday an appointment with a lady in Lambert Lodge (and her daughter). Mum has a problem with benefits which I need to attend to to support her through a tricky situation - hard for her to deal with without support. Daughter is living in a council flat and looking to move to somewhere smaller now her children have fled the nest, so a couple of matters to deal with tomorrow (because today has got away from me!)
A man came this morning to look at work needed on my kitchen. Then the Eye Boutique because my glasses broke and I had to repair them with impact glue! Then a meeting with residents. officers, ward partner Craig and contractors at Holly House.
When I first saw Holly House it was a shock to me
Still not quite finished but after more than 4 years it is now starting to look like a place you could be proud to live in.
We had a quick pint in the Kings Arms, but was back up that end later in the afternoon with Craig and traffic officers in Orchard Road. This has been another 4-year campaign and still not resolved. This was focused on the easy bit - 3 parking spaces on the street which were promised in 2021 but had not been provided because of safety concerns that I don't accept. I think we may be near to a solution after use of hi-tech activity from me (I used my advanced measuring system - walking with measured paces and saying one place was 7 1/2 paces and another 8 1/2 paces.) The officer had a very cool looking yellow wheel thing which turned it all metric.
I've been walking around Brentford a lot recently and quite often meet people who I don't know (or have forgotten!). Quite a few say they read this cobblers but several say things like 'you do go on a bit'. I plead guilty m'lord. I am trying to kick the habit but addiction is hard to kick.
That'll do. For those who haven't seen one before, that is a cloud advancing towards Brentford. Might have some of that flying water stuff in it. Don’t be alarmed. Take your umbrella, though.
Councillor Guy Lambert
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