Ealing Council has announced that it will push ahead with plans for community sports facilities at Warren Farm following recent setbacks.

Environmental group Hanwell Nature were granted Judicial Review with regards to Warren Farm and Queen’s Park Ranger Football Club’s are now seeking an alternative site for its training ground.

QPR says it remains committed to working with the council to ensure the borough’s young people don’t miss out on community sports facilities and activities at the site.

QPR has invested time and money in Warren Farm but have had to change its approach after an alternative site became available to buy earlier this year.

AS the proposed scheme with QPR at Warren Farm is not progressing, the council is looking to withdraw from the latest Judicial Review proceedings.

The council has successfully defended previous legal challenges and but also has not been able to proceed due to legal challenges on good grounds.

Councillor Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council said: "Warren Farm has always been a playing field and our ambition to develop first class sporting facilities for the borough’s young people remains unchanged. We will be looking at how this can be funded once the Covid-19 emergency is over."

"Giving people access to sport and setting good exercise habits will keep people heathier and take the pressure off our NHS in the long run."

"I have spoken to senior QPR officials and they have reassured me of their commitment to continuing to support the scheme. This was great to hear. I’d like to thank the club for their commitment to community sport, we know there is a huge Hoops fan base in the borough and so keeping them involved in the project is a win for everyone."

QPR CEO Lee Hoos said: "We are in advanced discussions regarding the freehold of another site which we decided to pursue when the opportunity to acquire the site came up."

"In the spirit of the excellent working relationship we have with Ealing Council we have made them aware of the situation and assured them we remain firmly committed to helping them develop the site for community use."

"As there is a non-disclosure agreement in place regarding the other site, no further comment will be made at this time."

Note:

Warren Farm sports ground is a neglected sports ground on Windmill Lane, Southall.

It has around 30 football, cricket and netball pitches on the 60-acre site. The Council does not have the money to refurbish and upgrade it.

QPR's owners were planning to spend around £30 million on bringing it up to Premier League standards.

Ealing Council offered a 200-year lease on Warren Farm to a commercial organisation for FREE.

The Hanwell Community Forum (HCF) took legal action against Ealing Council for trying to give away over 60 acres of publicly-owned, community sports fields, for no rental income.

Environmental group Hanwell Nature were granted Judicial Review in April 2020 against Ealing Councils proposal for not undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment.

QPR were the preferred bidder for the lease in May 2012. It is not surprising that after a decade of local opposition and legal action they have decided to move on.