'Green lung' west London nature reserve confirmed

A west London park has been formally declared a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) by Ealing Council.

Warren Farm in Southall, which is home to nesting skylarks, wildflowers, butterflies and bees, was given the classification on Monday.

It followed an agreement reached between the council and Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, co-owners of land at Warren Farm, for the use of the adjoining site as a new community sports facility.

Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council, said: "This declaration establishes a much-needed green lung for this part of the borough."

It follows a campaign by Brent River Park charity for Warren Farm Nature Reserve to be granted LNR designation.

Chair of the charity, Katie Boyles, said: "Our charity launched this campaign back in January 2021. At that time, we were emerging from Covid lockdown, and people were discovering the wonders of nature and wildlife on their doorstep in the Brent River Park.

"A heartfelt thank you to our 26,000 plus petition signatories, our volunteers, our local experts and national conservationists who wrote statements of support, and the national and local groups that have been with us all the way.

"We commend Ealing Council for recognising our rewilded meadow habitat's environmental value."

Facilities on the adjoining site will predominantly include cricket and football pitches, and the council is currently in discussion with a preferred contractor to run the site, an Ealing Council spokesperson said.

Blerina Hashani, Ealing Council's cabinet member for thriving communities, said: "Southall is a town with substantial health inequalities, and the combination of community sports facilities and nature reserve gives us the best of both worlds."

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