Conservation and planning | HHGERA residents

The Hanger Hill Garden Estate is a conservation area

That means strict rules on the external alterations that can be made.

The Estate has been a Conservation Area since 1969 and is subject to rigorous planning control for all external changes to houses, flats and garages. Ealing Council has approved a Management Plan for the Estate, supported by a Character Appraisal document including some interesting old photos, maps and history of the Estate, and a design guide setting out how to maintain property in keeping with the conservation design. All can be downloaded from this page or via the Council website.

In addition the Estate is subject to an Article 4 Direction, which can be downloaded by clicking here. There are restrictions on:

The enlargement, improvement or other alteration of a dwelling house. This includes:
- replacement of windows and doors
- alteration of front porches
- replacement of roof materials
- erection, alteration or removal of a chimney
The erection of a garage, stable, loosebox or coach-house within the curtilage of a dwelling house
Erection or formation of a porch (including infilling).
Formation of a vehicle hardstanding within the curtilage of a dwelling house.
Installation, alteration or replacement of satellite antennae on the front elevation of a dwelling house.
Erection of gates, fences, walls or other means of enclosure fronting onto a highway.
Formation of an access to a highway.
Painting of any previously unpainted surfaces on the exterior of any buildings.

Double glazing has historically not been allowed on the front of houses on the Estate. However, Ealing Council Planning Department does now approve replacement of windows on houses in the Estate with double glazed timber framed windows at the front and UPVc at the back. The Flats management board is seeking blanket approval for double glazing on all the blocks of flats but at the time of writing this was bogged down in the planning process. Click here for more information.

House owners and residents must obtain planning permission before any exterior changes to houses, garages and gardens are made. Unauthorised work is illegal and could involve a fine or Court action. Any unacceptable work must be put right at the owner's expense. Ealing Council has an enforcement team that visits the Estate regularly to check for breaches of planning regulations.

What is the Hanger Hill Garden Estate Conservation Panel?

The Conservation Panel is an independent local body set up and appointed by Ealing Council. In general members of the Conservation Panel for each of the 29 Conservation Areas in the borough are members of their Residents Association. In our case members are selected by vote at the HHGERA AGM and then approved by Ealing Council. Sergei Turceninoff and Bill Bailey are the current members. They are registered with the LBE Planning Department.

What are its functions?

Firstly, the Conservation Panel is a statutory consultee. It receives and comments on all planning applications for the Estate (Houses & Flats) and for surrounding areas: Dukes road, local schools, Park Royal Leisure complex, industrial properties to the East, Kendal Avenue etc., and the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) area north of the A40. Planning applications are checked for compliance with the Management Plan & Design Guide for the Estate.

Secondly, where it becomes aware of works undertaken on the Estate without planning permission and in significant breach of the Management Plan and Design Guide it notifies Ealing’s Planning Department and requests enforcement action.

Thirdly, it is also a statutory consultee for the regular reviews of the HHGE Conservation Area and its Management Plan and Design Guide.

The Council's Planning Department alone makes the decision to approve or deny a planning application and whether or not to take enforcement action. Officials must read all comments received but they do not have to act on them.