Ealing Council has secured a 10-year lease for temporary accommodation at 61-63 Churchfield Road, Acton, London, W3 6AY, aimed at providing housing for homeless households. The decision was made during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 15 October 2025, formalised under the leadership of Councillor Peter Mason (Leader of the Council).
The council, which has a statutory obligation to house homeless individuals and families, faces a shortage of available properties. To address this, the council is pursuing short, medium, and long-term leases to source additional housing and reduce reliance on bed and breakfast accommodations. The council is also developing a medium to long term strategy to increase the supply of temporary accommodation both through purchase as well as longer term leases.
The newly leased property will provide 20 units, each offering communal kitchen facilities and a mix of individual and shared wash facilities. The terms of the lease were negotiated with the landlord, with the council's valuer certifying that the final terms were the most reasonable achievable. This certification was based on negotiations supported by the council's valuer, ensuring the terms were the best attainable in the given circumstances. Further details can be found in the Exempt Appendix 1 – Heads of Terms 61-63 Churchfield Road
and Exempt Appendix 3 Recommendation report 61-63 Churchfield Road
.
The Cabinet considered several factors in their decision, as detailed in the Cabinet Meeting Minutes. They noted that failing to lease properties would force the council to continue using nightly paid accommodation, which is more expensive and unsuitable for residents due to limited facilities and instability. The council's current lack of empty homes necessitates these measures to provide suitable accommodation alternatives to bed and breakfasts.
