Key Points
- Ealing Council approves demolition of 105 affordable homes.
- Safety defects halt Perivale construction project indefinitely.
- Restart deemed unviable due to escalating repair costs.
- Residents face rehousing amid London’s housing crisis.
- Activists protest loss of vital affordable housing stock.
Ealing (Extra London News) February 18, 2026 – Ealing Council has decided to demolish 105 affordable homes currently under construction in Perivale, west London, rather than attempting to restart the stalled project, officials confirmed today. The decision, taken amid concerns over structural safety defects and spiralling costs, has ignited fury among housing campaigners who warn it will exacerbate the borough’s acute affordable housing shortage. Council leader Peter Mason described the move as a “pragmatic necessity” to protect public safety and taxpayer funds.
The homes, part of a larger development on the site of the former Perivale Industrial Estate, were being built by the council’s in-house company, Ealing Community Partnership (ECP), in partnership with the Brick Kiln Estate redevelopment scheme. Construction ground to a halt last year when engineers identified serious defects in the concrete frames of multiple blocks. As reported by Josh Pettit of MyLondon, council documents reveal that remediation efforts could cost up to £50 million, far exceeding initial budgets. This has forced the Labour-run council to abandon hopes of salvaging the project, with demolition now scheduled to begin within months.
The announcement comes at a time when London’s housing crisis is at fever pitch, with Ealing’s waiting list for social housing exceeding 10,000 households. Critics, including local Green Party councillor Scott Clemons, argue the demolition represents a betrayal of vulnerable families.
“These were meant to be homes for low-income workers and key workers – now they’re rubble,” Clemons stated in a council meeting last week.
The decision also raises questions about accountability for the initial construction flaws, with opposition Conservatives demanding an independent inquiry.
What led to the construction halt in Perivale?
Construction on the 105 affordable homes began in 2023 as part of Ealing Council’s ambitious plan to deliver 1,000 new council homes by 2030 through ECP. The Perivale site, previously contaminated industrial land, was earmarked for mixed-tenure development including social rent units, shared ownership, and market sale properties to cross-subsidise affordability. According to Anna White of the Ealing Gazette, site work paused in September 2025 after routine inspections uncovered “significant structural weaknesses” in the reinforced concrete frames of three six-storey blocks. Independent engineers from Arup Consulting confirmed that the defects stemmed from inadequate mix designs and poor curing processes, rendering the structures unsafe for completion. Initial estimates pegged repairs at £20 million, but further assessments in January 2026 pushed this to £48-52 million, factoring in demolition of defective elements, redesign, and compliance with updated Building Safety Act regulations post-Grenfell. The council’s housing committee voted 8-4 on February 18, 2026, to approve full demolition, with Labour members citing fiscal prudence amid a £11 million projected overspend on the overall Brick Kiln scheme.
Residents nearby expressed mixed reactions. Long-term Perivale resident Aisha Khan, 52, told the Ealing Gazette she feared the demolition would disrupt her family further.
“We’ve lived with the cranes and noise for years, promised affordable homes for our kids – now it’s all wasted,” Khan said.
Conversely, some locals welcomed the halt, citing construction traffic woes. Ealing Council’s head of housing, Bella Ortiz, defended the timeline, noting that alternative sites in Southall and Greenford are progressing to fill the gap.
Why is demolition preferred over restarting work?
The council’s cabinet paper, leaked to MyLondon ahead of the vote, outlined three options: full remediation, partial salvage, or demolition and rebuild. As detailed by Josh Pettit of MyLondon, option one – remediation – was rejected due to a benefit-cost ratio of just 0.62, meaning costs outweighed lifetime benefits by 38%. Demolition, at an estimated £8-10 million including site clearance, scored highest at 1.47, allowing for a redesigned scheme with modern modular construction potentially deliverable by 2029.
Financial pressures played a pivotal role. ECP, established in 2021 to bypass private developers, has faced scrutiny over its £300 million pipeline. Grant funding from the government’s Affordable Homes Programme, worth £23 million for Brick Kiln, is now at risk of clawback if units aren’t delivered by March 2027. Restarting would void warranties from concrete suppliers, adding legal fees. Moreover, 2026 updates to the Building Regulations demand enhanced fire safety, making original designs obsolete.
Environmental factors also tipped the scales. Demolition waste from the site could be recycled into aggregates for new builds, aligning with Ealing’s net-zero by 2030 pledge. As reported by eco-journalist Lena Forbes of the Green Ealing Post, lifecycle carbon assessments showed a 25% lower footprint for rebuild versus retrofit. Campaign group Save Ealing Homes contested this, arguing in a petition with 2,500 signatures that demolition ignores embodied carbon already invested. Council planners rebutted that safety trumps sustainability here.
How will residents be affected by this decision?
Over 200 households on the Brick Kiln waiting list had been earmarked for the 105 social rent units, priced at 50-60% of market rates. The council pledged to rehouse applicants via its Choice-Based Lettings system, prioritising existing tenants from nearby estates. However, with only 150 new affordable units due borough-wide in 2026, pressure mounts.
Displaced construction workers, numbering around 50, face redundancies. Unite union rep Maria Lopez warned of knock-on effects.
“These jobs were local, apprenticeships included – demolition crews will be fly-in contractors,” she told Ealing Today.
Tenants from adjacent phases, already occupied, report anxiety over structural parallels. Independent surveys cleared those blocks, but trust is eroded. Ealing Council offered £500 hardship grants and priority bidding for 40 decants. Broader borough impacts loom. Ealing’s housing strategy 2021-2031 targets 40% affordable in new builds; this setback drops delivery by 7%.
Lib Dem deputy leader, Councillor Dominic Cotton, queried in full council: “Will this delay the 700 homes pledge? Transparency is key.”
Officers assured no net loss, with land safeguarded for 120 replacement units. Still, Right to Buy receipts down 15% amid high prices limit borrowing.
What are councillors saying about the demolition?
Reactions split along party lines at the February 18 cabinet meeting.
Labour leader Peter Mason asserted: “Safety first – we won’t risk lives like Ronan Point or Grenfell. Demolition unlocks better homes faster.”
Conservatives branded it “iconic incompetence,” with shadow housing chair Richard Smedley calling for ECP’s wind-up. Greens pushed for community land trust alternatives.
As reported by political editor Claire Wilkins of the Ealing Chronicle, cross-party consensus emerged on inquiry needs: “An external review into ECP governance is essential,” agreed Mason and Smedley.
The meeting, attended by 150 public, saw heated exchanges.
Ortiz responded: “Hindsight is 20/20; we’re acting decisively now.”
Minutes reveal 12 public questions, all probing costs. Mayor Jes Gruar, overseeing regeneration, faced protests outside.
“This isn’t demolition; it’s renewal,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Opposition mocked the spin, tallying ECP delays at 300 units. Full council debates on March 10.
