Friday 12 February 2016

Brent House development in Wembley High Road given the go ahead

Existing Brent House
The proposal
Brent Planning Committee has approved proposals for the redevelopment of Brent House in the High Road, Wembley.

The proposed development would be between the new Elizabeth House and Ark Elvin Academy, which is due to be re-developed LINK, and will stretch back towards the playing fields and St Joseph's Primary school.

It will consist of tw building sof between 8 and 10 storeys with retail/commercial space on the groubnd floot. The 248 dwellings will consist of 84 one bedroomed flats (although that might be reconsidered), 108 2 bedroom, 49 3 bedroom and 7 4 bedroom.

30% will be affordable rather than the 50% figure in Brent's strategic Plan. Henley Homes argued that above 30% would not be viable in terms of the return to the builders and Capita confirmed this figures.

It is projected that there will be 104 children in the development and play space is planned for, although the total amount of utdoor space is less than would be expected for this scale of development. Planners were told that this was constrained by the nature of the site and its quality compensated for the lower figure.

TfL will need to review bus transport in the area due to the additional population.

The mature trees, a feature of the site, (see top picture) will be lost in the redevelopment.

Wembley Central councillors submitted no comments on the proposal.

The plan - High Road at the top

6 comments:

Pete Firmin said...

When it says "affordable" does it mean unaffordable as in the 80% of market rents definition? Or affordable by realistic standards?

Martin Francis said...

It doesn't define it in the Committee papers? Can anyone help?

Jaine Lunn said...

It's ironic that the huge mature trees which were under TPO's when occupied by the Council now are to be removed, currently well fed by all the carbon monoxide from the heavy traffic, makes me very sad. The lack of outdoor playspace for over 100+ children is also a huge oversight as we are so deprived of green space in Wembley Central as the fields behind the development have been leased to Ark Elvin for their development.

'In my dreams' as the school will be set back from the high road perhaps the Planners will now consider a land swap and create a nice green open park space at the front suitable fenced with new trees/hedge for children to play? Instead of more shops and unattractive flats, would make welcome respite for the concrete jungle being created. It will be interesting to see the outcome of air quality surveys for the proposed developments as it will not be pleasant for the occupiers of these flats that face directly on to the high road.

Anonymous said...

'Affordable' as in Pravda meaning 'truth'.

Anonymous said...

If the 'progress' in ex-Copland's exam results since the Ark Elvin takeover continues at its current pace and direction there may soon be enough land available on Wembley High Road to build affordable homes, unaffordable homes, Jaine's park, a couple of new libraries, a retirement home for Mo Butt and an 18 hole bloody golf course.

Mike Hine

Jaine Lunn said...

Thanks Mike, you got it in a nutshell