A campaign leaflet implying a West London recreation ground is under threat from development has been slammed as "plain and simple fear mongering". The Conservative campaign leaflet has been circulating Colham and Cowley in Hillingdon in recent weeks, suggesting there is a threat to Cowley Recreation Ground.
Hundreds of residents have since signed a petition to 'Save Cowley Rec from development', however there is currently no evidence of any threat to the recreation ground.
The leaflet, created by the Hillingdon Conservatives group, says 'Labour put our rec at risk', suggesting government house building targets mean there is a threat to green belt land in the borough 'including Cowley Rec'. However there has not been a planning application submitted to build any homes, nor any agreement made to develop on the site.
Labour Councillor Sital Punja told the Local Democracy Reporting Service [LDRS]: "Conservative Councillors pictured in the staged campaign photo pretending that Cowley Recreation Ground is under threat should be ashamed of themselves. This is nothing but plain and simple fear mongering and data gathering by Hillingdon Conservatives."
Whilst it is true to say that there are housing targets set by the government and Mayor of London, the rec is owned by Hillingdon Council, which means the council has the power to decide whether or not homes can be built on it.
The space is also protected by the Greater London Authority's London Plan which designates Cowley Recreational Ground as Metropolitan Open Land, ensuring its preservation for recreation, nature conservation, and contributing to the city's green character.
However, the leaflet is not the sole reason residents are concerned about the threat of development of Cowley Rec. Other parks in the borough have seen development in the last few years, namely Yiewsley Rec.
Planning permission was given in 2024, under the current administration, to demolish the former Yiewsley Library and swimming pool site, surrounding the recreation ground, despite local campaigning. There will now be two blocks of flats built around the recreational ground, both reaching five storeys and almost 100 flats.
However Cllr Punja added: "Cowley Recreation Ground is not under threat and let us remind ourselves of the hypocrisy from Cllr Choubedar, Cllr Corthorne and Cllr Bennett who all voted to appropriate Yiewsley Recreation Ground which was protected by a 100-year-old covenant at the planning meeting on 6th December 2023.
"Hillingdon Conservatives are in control of Hillingdon Council thus in control of where housing is developed - not the Labour Government and not the Mayor of London. We have a housing crisis in Hillingdon and this council needs to build homes, so I would suggest that they stop these phoney campaigns and start building homes across the borough."
A spokesperson for the Hillingdon Conservatives told the LDRS that their concern is "driven by the Labour Government's ambitious plans to build a large number of houses before the next election", with the government also looking to reclassify some green belt land. They said: "Whilst there is no current planning application on Cowley Recreation Ground, local concern is valid given Labour's track record and the ongoing pressure from Sadiq Khan's London Plan to build on 'underutilised' land - including by the use of community green spaces.
"This leaflet reflects those real fears and concerns, shared by many residents locally. Given that Hillingdon is one of London's greenest boroughs, it is inevitable that we will once again be lumbered with an unfair share of Labour's targets. It is concerning that Hillingdon Labour have simply dismissed the issue, and haven't followed our lead in opposing any potential housing development on green belt land such as Cowley Rec."
It's been previously reported that underutilised green belt land could be reclassified as 'grey belt' and developed on. But Hillingdon Council was one of four local authorities in the city - alongside Bexley, Croydon and Bromley - refusing to take part in a review of green belt land as part of this. Some put the refusal down to the "very short" timeframe given to respond to the Mayor's request to voluntarily taking part.
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