Ealing Council has launched the Ealing Development Guide 2026-2031, a new framework for designing and delivering affordable, healthy and climate-resilient homes across the borough. Developed with Pollard Thomas Edwards (PTE), the guide establishes clear principles for future council-led housing and provides a benchmark for development partners working in Ealing.

The guide responds to some of the biggest challenges facing housing delivery today, including affordability, climate change, energy performance and resident wellbeing. It sets out a consistent approach to creating high-quality homes and neighbourhoods that are sustainable, inclusive and built for the long term.

The Ealing Development Guide provides a practical framework for the planning, design and delivery of future council-led housing developments. Produced by Ealing Council with support from Pollard Thomas Edwards, it promotes a holistic approach to housing that combines design quality, environmental performance and social value.

Key themes include:

• Affordable and inclusive housing
• Passivhaus standards and low-energy design
• Climate resilience and overheating mitigation
• Biodiversity and landscape design
• Healthy homes and resident wellbeing
• Active travel and sustainable movement
• Resident engagement and participation
• Long-term stewardship and management
• Post-occupancy evaluation and building performance

Together, these principles aim to create homes that are comfortable, affordable to run and resilient to future environmental and social challenges.

The guide goes beyond minimum regulatory requirements, championing higher standards in environmental performance, climate adaptation and resident experience. It establishes a consistent framework for council-led projects and development partners while recognising the importance of long-term building performance and ongoing learning.

A particular focus is placed on understanding how homes perform once occupied. Through post-occupancy evaluation, housing providers can gain valuable insight into how residents experience their homes and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Councillor Louise Brett, Deputy Leader of Ealing Council and Cabinet Member for Safe and Genuinely Affordable Homes, said: "Residents deserve homes that are affordable to live in, comfortable all year round and built to last. This new Development Guide sets out the standards we expect for every new council-led housing development, helping us deliver on our commitment to provide more genuinely affordable homes while tackling climate change and keeping household energy bills down.

Tom Dollard, Partner at Pollard Thomas Edwards, added: "The housing and climate crises demand a new approach to development. The Ealing Development Guide demonstrates how councils can deliver homes that are genuinely affordable, environmentally responsible and great places to live."

Drawing on housing and design best practice from across the UK, the guide addresses issues ranging from energy performance and climate adaptation to community engagement and landscape design. It reinforces Ealing Council's commitment to delivering high-quality affordable housing while providing a practical model that other local authorities can learn from.

Download the guide: Ealing Development Guide 2026-2031