Appeal from over the Brent border: Stop Kensal Canalside development - call for safe, sustainable, genuinely affordable housing at the site

 

Developers propose building thousands of flats in dense tower blocks on a former gasworks site at Ladbroke Grove. Their plans raise serious concerns about toxic contamination, limited social housing, traffic and pollution, emergency access, pressure on local services, and harm to Grade I listed Kensal Green Cemetery. We call for safe, sustainable, genuinely affordable housing at Kensal Canalside, with the infrastructure and safeguards needed to support existing and future residents. 

This is not just a local issue: its impacts will affect people across Kensington & Chelsea, Brent, Westminster, and Hammersmith & Fulham. It’s not too late for the plans to be changed. Use this link https://kensal.rbkc.uk to write to your MP and the Mayor of London today — it takes less than a minute! Urge them to reject current plans and insist on a safer, greener development with more homes that Londoners can genuinely afford.

APPEAL: Send Brent Council your message about Willesden Sports Centre's Indoor Track removal by November 30th

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Track Academy (@trackacademy_)

An unprecedented five deputations could be heard at Monday's Brent Council meeting

An unprecedented five deputations could be heard at the Brent Council Full Council meeting on Monday. A deputation gives an opportunity for residents or groups to raise an issue with councillors in a short address, There is usually no debate but a Cabinet member may respond and there may also be attempts at interventions from councillors.

The public may attend the meeting and it will also be livestreamed HERE 

Three of the deputations are definitely on the Agenda and another two may be added if a procedural motion to hear them gains a majority.

These are the deputations as printed on the meeting agenda. They are currently item 6 so will be heard near the beginning of the meeting:

 

(a)    Concerns about the stance taken by the Brent Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties on the recent policy motion adopted by the Green Party nationally declaring Zionism a form of racism (requested by Emma Tait representing Brent Jewish Network)

 

(b)    Concern regarding the issue of rising antisemitism, community cohesion (given the recent policy motion adopted by the Green Party nationally declaring Zionism a form of racism) and the Nablus twinning arrangement and seeking assurance on the steps being taken by the Council to address these concerns, support Jewish residents and strengthen community cohesion (requested by Karen Flaum as a local resident)

 

(c)    The tailored support being made available for people with learning disabilities and Autism into sustainable employment as an issue highlighted by members of Brent Mencap’s Disability Rights and Politics (DRAP) Group, a self and peer advocacy group for people with learning disabilities and Autism (requested by Aaron Dryden, Executive Director Brent Mencap).

 

Members are asked to note that in addition to the above deputations, which were selected for presentation via a ballot undertaken in accordance with Standing Order 32, the following two additional requests were received within the required timescale:

 

(d)    Seeking to highlight public health and environmental concerns regarding the detrimental impact of the proposed Ballymore/St William development at the former Kensal Gasworks for residents living in Brent given the site of the location. (requested by Jude Allen as local residents and member of the Kensal Triangle Resident Association)

 

(e)    Opposing the decision to dispose of the Council’s freehold interest in Open Space Land (Northwick Park Golf Course) at 280 Watford Road (requested by Tara Furlong as a local resident)

 

Following consultation between the respective Group Leaders, the above deputations have also been listed for presentation although this will be subject to final approval via a Procedural Motion be moved at the start of the meeting, which will apply on a one-off basis.

 

This is the last meeting of the municipal year where questions from the public and Youth Parliament can be heard. The meeting on Thursday February 25th  2027 sets the budget and council tax and the meeting on 19th May is the Annual Meeting where the mayor and deputy mayor and committee appointments are made.

BREAKING: Brent Council will 'listen further' before making a decision on Willesden Indoor Running Track

In response to the formal letter from the leaders of the Liberal Democrat and Green Groups on Brent Council, Kim Wright, the CEO of Brent Council, has decided that the right thing to do is to listen further before a decision is taken on removal of the Indoor Track at Willesden Sports Centre. The potential loss of the track, one of only a few in London, has led to a huge campaign of Track Academy members, local residents, athletes and sports clubs using social media, press and tv coverage and a rapidly growing petition.

 

Kim Wright said: 

The decision on the final configuration, including whether the indoor running tube space is retained for athletics or reconfigured as proposed, is delegated to the Corporate Director of Service Reform and Strategy who plans to make that decision by 25 November 2026.

The Council is inviting representations on the proposals from existing and recent past users of Willesden Sports Centre. All representations previously received will be taken into account, so nobody needs to repeat or resend anything they have already sent us. Any further representations should be sent to leisure@brent.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday 20 November 2026, and will be considered before any decision is taken.

Mary Mitchell, leader of the Green Group on Brent Council said:

This is very welcome news and a huge testament to the community who use the track. We hope that the Council will recognise the value that the track provides and will continue to support and invest in the youth services that Brent so desperately needs.

Anton Georgiou, leader of the Lib Dem Group said: 

I'm pleased that Brent Council has decided to backtrack on its decision to demolish the much-loved indoor track at Willesden sports Centre

The climbdown is a direct result of a community-led campaign, which brought togeyher track users, Track Academy, Queens Park Harriers, residents and the Liberal Democrat and Green Council Groups. 

 Patrik Ewe of Track Academy told Wembley Matters:

This is a welcome and significant change of position. What we hope for now is a genuine consultation. Not just about whether the track survives, but about the whole offering: who benefits from this space, how it is used, and what it means for Brent. This is a rare and valuable facility and we are lucky to have it.

How we use it matters. It supports the council's own commitments to reaching the groups facing the greatest barriers in our borough: girls, disabled young people, young people with special educational needs and ethnically diverse communities. We want to work with the council to make sure that is properly understood before a final decision is taken.

We only have a week to share feedback so are asking every supporter and partner to email the council (leisure@brent.gov.uk) before 20 November.

 

 

Brent opposition groups focus on responses to the housing crisis in motions to Full Council

 

Brent Renters demonstration at the Civic Centre, October 2024

 

With the housing crisis deepening Liberal Democrats and Greens both bring motions to Full Council on November 16th seeking support for actions to ease the crisis:

  

Lib Dem Group motion

 

Making Better Use of Empty Homes in Brent

 

This Council notes:

 

 Brent is facing a housing crisis. Thousands of residents are waiting for a council or social home, meanwhile many families live in overcrowded accommodation, temporary accommodation or homes that do not meet their needs.

 

 At the same time, council homes can sit empty for months waiting for repairs, inspections or other processes. There are currently at least 150 vacant council- owned properties - including 8 that have remained empty for a year or more –

and it is unclear whether this number includes properties within the portfolios of i4B and First Wave Housing.

 

 Homes must be safe and brought up to the right standard before new tenants move in. But leaving homes empty for longer than necessary is unacceptable.

 

 Every council home sitting empty represents a missed opportunity to provide a secure and affordable home to Brent residents. It places pressure on the Council's housing waiting list and can increase reliance on expensive temporary

accommodation.

 

 Southwark Council has recently announced a task force to tackle its backlog of empty council homes, focusing on identifying delays and getting properties back into use more quickly. Brent should examine this approach and identify what can

be applied locally.

 

 Brent cannot solve the housing crisis overnight. New homes take time to plan and build, but bringing empty homes back into use is something the Council can act on now. Making better use of the homes we already own must be a priority.

 

This Council therefore believes that:

 

 Empty council homes should be brought back into use as quickly as possible, without compromising safety, compliance or quality standards.

 

 Unnecessarily long void periods represent a missed opportunity to provide a home to Brent residents in housing need.

 

 Delays caused by repairs, procurement, inspections, administration or other Council processes should be identified and reduced wherever possible.

 

 Bringing larger family homes and properties suitable for households with the greatest housing need back into use should be prioritised where appropriate.

 

This Council therefore calls on Cabinet to:

 

(1) Publish details of all void council-owned housing stock – including current void time, property size, and repair work required.

(2) Consider establishing an empty homes task force to tackle the backlog, coordinate services and speed up the return of vacant homes.

(3) Set clear targets for reducing the time council homes remain empty between tenancies, with attention to prolonged vacancies.

(4) Review repairs, procurement, inspections and other processes to identify unnecessary delays and address recurring causes.

(5) Prioritise larger family homes and properties suitable for households with the greatest housing need, consistent with allocations policies and property suitability.

(6) Examine the approach taken by Southwark and other London boroughs and adopt good practice that can help Brent get homes back into use faster.

(7) Report regularly to Cabinet and Full Council on the number of empty council homes, average void periods, prolonged vacancies and progress in reducing unnecessary delays.

(8) Make reducing the number and length of unnecessary council home voids a priority within Brent's response to the housing crisis.

 

Councillor Anton Georgiou

Alperton Ward

 

 

 

Green Group Motion

 

Building Better: Bringing Quality, Public Ownership and Community Value to Housing

 

This Council Notes:

 

 Brent Council has responded to a national housing crisis with intensive development, completing more homes than any other local authority in 2026.

 

 Brent Council has recently changed its social housing allocation policy to attempt to tackle growing demand and dwindling social housing supply, alongside the adoption of national planning reforms that reduce local democratic input.

 

 Despite significant public investment, ‘regenerated’ housing in Wembley and Kilburn remains unaffordable to Brent residents and routinely riddled with major construction defects.

 

 Brent Council recently allowed 143 newly built homes in South Kilburn to be sold directly to private equity to preserve the project’s “financial viability.”

 

This Council Believes:

 

 A philosophy of building as much and as quickly as possible and tinkering with planning laws and allocations schemes will not address the root causes of the housing crisis.

 

 A new approach to housing in Brent is required that considers housing and land ownership, build quality, and wider social benefit, and doesn’t treat housing as a speculative investment asset.

 

 Stronger safeguards and incentive realignments are required to ensure new housing developments deliver high-quality homes, long-term community benefit and genuine affordability.

 

 Providing social housing and protecting biodiverse green spaces are complementary objectives and should not be treated as competing priorities.

 

 Publicly owned land and assets should be used in ways that maximise long-term public value and community benefit.

 

 Community-led housing can and should play a significant role in delivering affordable and sustainable housing, as an alternative to public-private partnerships.

 

 Residents have a right to safe, healthy, climate resilient and well-maintained homes. Poor-quality construction carries unacceptable costs for residents and public finances.

 

This Council Resolves to:

 

(1) Call on the Government to introduce new council powers including reforming Right to Buy, long-term social housebuilding funding and resourcing councils to acquire long-term vacant residential properties and integrate them into the social

housing supply and measures to treat housing principally as a place to live rather  than as a financial asset.

 

(2) Request that Cabinet: [typo on Council website corrected]

 

(a) Conduct a feasibility study to explore community-led housing delivery schemes (such as Community Land Trusts), when council-owned land or property is being considered for development or disposal.

(b) commit, where publicly owned sites are being redeveloped, to endeavour to retain long-term public ownership of the land and associated assets developed thereon.

(c) consider imposing an immediate 20-year moratorium on authorising the sale of housing units to private equity firms or similar institutional investment vehicles.

(d) consider including a standard contractual clause within all future housing development agreements requiring developers to accept financial liability for defects arising from poor workmanship, substandard materials or related construction failures that become apparent within 20 years of completion.

(e) commit to excluding contractors who have previously delivered defective building work for Brent Council under the Procurement Act.

(f) Prioritise, where feasible, the refurbishment, retrofit and re-use of existing homes and buildings over demolition and redevelopment.

 

Councillor Paul Ryan

Kilburn Ward

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appeal after woman dies in Wembley collision. Man charged with dangerous driving,

 

Driving instructor Asif Zamir was one of the first on the scene at Tuesday's collision on The Avenue when an elderly woman was knocked down and sadly died, despite his and others efforts to save her. 

He was moved to make a video appeal on road safety and taking responsibility. An edited version is posted above.

Update from UKNIP  

A 45-year-old man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a woman in her 70s was killed in a collision involving a van in Wembley, north-west London.

Arjan Osmani, of Arnold Close, Harrow, was charged on Wednesday 11 November following the fatal collision on The Avenue.

Metropolitan Police officers were called at approximately 5.45pm on Tuesday 10 November 2026 after reports that a van had collided with a pedestrian.

The woman, who was in her 70s, died following the incident.

Osmani was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with three offences.

Driver Faces Three Charges Following Fatal Collision

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that Osmani has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while uninsured and causing death while unlicensed.

He is due to appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 12 November.

The circumstances surrounding the collision remain the subject of a police investigation.

Officers have not released further details about the events leading up to the incident.

Family of Wembley Collision Victim Informed

The woman’s next of kin have been informed of her death and are receiving support from specially trained officers.

Her identity has not been publicly released.

The family have requested privacy as they come to terms with their loss.

Police Appeal for Dashcam and Doorbell Footage

Detectives are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the collision or have information about the circumstances surrounding it.

Police are particularly interested in obtaining dashcam and doorbell camera footage recorded in the area of The Avenue, Wembley, around the time of the incident.

Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police on 101, quoting reference 5569/10NOV.

LATEST: Following legal exchanges work on Indoor Track at Willesden Sports Centre at a stop until Friday 13th November

Track Academy have been told that no work on removal of the the indoor running track (Running Tube) at Willesden Sports Centre will take place this week.

This follows legal intervention on behalf of the Track Academy. Brent Council requested an extension of the deadline given until 5pm on Friday 13th November in order to receive final approval for its response to the letter.

 

Westminster shows the way on SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) in Carlton Vale

 

 

Following the recent Brent Scrutiny Committee discussion on preparation for a flood emergency (which incidentally resulted in no recommendations) it may be worth looking at Westminster Council's actions in Kilburn. 

 From Westminster Council: 

SuDS targets

The council is committed to retrofitting SuDS in public spaces and strengthening requirements for SuDS in new developments. The goal is to reduce 15% of surface water above ground during a 1 in 30 year rainfall event by 2030, within designated SuDS catchments.

A wider approach to climate resilience

Westminster’s long term approach to flood risk management responds to climate change and aligns with major regional programmes such as the London Surface Water Strategy, whilst also contributing to wider environmental goals through Westminster’s Sustainable Transport Strategy, Cool Neighbourhoods Strategy and the Greening & Biodiversity Strategy.

SuDS have been identified as an important tool in managing surface water flood risk across the city. The council recognises that SuDS are only part of the solution and is also delivering other measures to tackle flooding, as is outlined in our Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

To ensure accountability and continual improvement, progress will be monitored annually with a full strategy review every six years, incorporating new data and community feedback.

Westminster City Council is seeking feedback on proposed Sustainable Drainage Systems (otherwise known as SuDS) in Carlton Vale.

The project team will use this feedback to shape design of the proposals.

This project is part of the Council’s wider SuDS Programme, which aims to reduce flood risk and make streets more climate resilient by introducing sustainable drainage in areas where they can provide the greatest benefits.

More detail on the SuDS Programme can be found here.

Have your say

Westminster City Council invites you to share your views on the Carlton Vale SuDS proposals. If you would like to comment on our proposals, please complete the survey here.

The survey will close at midnight on Monday 14 December.   

If you would like to discuss the proposals with the project team, you can attend one of the following events:  

Location	Date	Time
Microsoft Teams (Please register here)	Tuesday 17 November	6-7pm
Park Café, Paddington Recreation Ground, W9 1PD	Saturday 28 November 2026	1-5pm
Park Café, Paddington Recreation Ground, W9 1PD	Tuesday 1 December	12-3pm

The project team will be at the events to answer your questions, and you will also be able to view information about the scheme.    

Hard-copy information and questionnaires are also available at Maida Vale Library, Sutherland Avenue, London W9 2QT. 

Carlton Vale SuDS Proposals

To help reduce flood risk and manage rainwater more effectively, Westminster City Council is bringing forward proposals to deliver Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) along Carlton Vale. These measures are designed to improve the area’s resilience to heavy rainfall while also enhancing the local streetscape and environment.