Quintain submit meanwhile sports application for large area of their Wembley Park estate

 

NE04, 05 and 06 in context

 

 The application boundary

 

The proposed 'meanwhile' uses

 

Next week's Brent Planning Committee will consider an application from Quintain for meanwhile use of a large site in their Wembley Park estate.  Existing permission dating from 2015 for development of sites NE04, 5 and 6 is now not expected to be delivered until 2028/29. The application is for sports facilities and public realm to be on place for 3 years.

The large area next to Union Park North on Engineers Way is currently surrounded by hoarding.

Quintain's agent explains:

To make use of this vacant and underutilised space in the interim, two meanwhile uses are proposed for outdoor sports (5 aside football) and an indoor leisure, events and entertainment venue both of which will complement and operate alongside the existing meanwhile events and entertainment venue (Bubble Planet). To ensure the successful operation of these meanwhile uses, and their integration, a comprehensive approach has been taken to the layout of the application site which will allow Quintain to maintain and manage areas of shared infrastructure, whilst the operators themselves will be responsible for the direct management of their respective meanwhile uses. Further information on the layout and operation of the application site is provided in the Design and Access Statement submitted with the application.

 

Proposals

The application site takes in land made up of former hardstanding from the site’s previous use as Yellow Car Park (and then later as a site compound for contractors). The application seeks permission for the interim use of this land for two meanwhile uses, each of which is to be located on a defined plot, which will have an allocated back of house area. Supporting these uses will be an internal one way access road which will make use of two existing site accesses on Fulton Road which will be configured to be entrance and exit only. The new access road will include provision for 6 no. drop off spaces and will also allow access to an internal car park that is to provide 6 No. parking spaces for accessible parking only. A shared area of public realm will sit between the plots providing space for pedestrian access, visitor cycle parking, seating and space to allow for transition of visitors in terms of arrival, rendezvous and departure. An external hoarding line will be maintained on the site’s boundary with Union Park North, and to Tippatone Walk. There is a small section of existing timber fence defining the edge of the Site as it abuts Fulton Road, this is to be replaced with palisade fencing to match that already existing in this area (and which is to be repaired).

 

NHS reduces Central Middlesex Urgent Treatment Centre without notice

 

 

The above notice shared on Facebook is the first most of the public will have learned that the NHS NWLondon University Healthcare had implemented their plan to reduce the hours of Central Middlesex Urgent Treatment Centre by 21 hours a week. The notice reverts to the old name of 'Urgent Care' and calls it a Department - whether that is actually a change of name or just another example of their  carelessness is unclear.

 

The website for the UTC (they still called it that) just accessed, has the old opening hours with a footnote that they have been confirmed today! LINK

 

Today, a day after its implementation yesterday, the LNWH NHS website carried a news story about the earlier closing time:

 

 

The Urgent treatment centre at Central Middlesex Hospital has new opening hours. It is now open from 8am to 9pm, with the last patient registered at 8pm.

A recent review of our urgent care services found that the centre saw an average of only four patients per hour between 9pm and midnight. We found that many of these patients could have received appropriate treatment or advice from their GP or a high street pharmacist.

Also, radiology services (X-ray, ultrasound, etc) at Central Middlesex Hospital are not available after 8pm. This is because low patient numbers and a limited workforce make allocating staff to radiology services after 8pm an inefficient use of resources. However, this did mean that some of the patients who attended the Urgent Treatment Centre after 9pm had to attend another centre or to return for care the following day.

We gave local people an opportunity to share their views on the new opening hours through online and in-person public events and an online questionnaire. These did not result in any substantial or widespread objections. 

Therefore, to optimise the service the opening times have now changed from 8am to midnight, to 8am to 9pm. The centre remains open seven days a week and there is no change to our process if someone visits the site while seriously unwell. Our 24/7 critical outreach team will still look after them until they can be transferred to an appropriate setting.

Our Urgent treatment centres provide medical care when it is not critical or life threatening for people of all ages. It's important to get the right care in the right place. If you're feeling unwell and not sure where to go call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk when you need medical help fast. Our website also has information and advice if you're not sure where to go.

I highlight the above quote as it contains no verifiable information, no link to results, and no figures. It is of the same ilk as the non-consultation on the Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool. It of course pretends not to have heard about the 570 signature petition presented to Brent Council Scrutiny Committee calling for an urgent meeting of the Committee to investigate the Trust's plans. A call adroitly and complacently kicked into the long grass by Committee Chair Cllr Ketan Sheth as being on his 'radar'. If radar worked like that many ships would have been sunk and aircraft blown up by the enemy.

 

Meanwhile, many would be patients will be turning up at the UTC to find its doors closed.

 

It really seems that without democratic oversight the local NHS treats the people of Brent  with contempt - aided by Brent Scrutiny Committee. 

 

Standby for more slicing away of services at Central Middlesex Hospital. Is it earmarked for future housing development? 

Time for residents and visitors, and especially young people, to be seen and heard over hotel plans for Wembley Park public space

 Proposed hotel development from the stadium steps side of Engineers Way

I had heard that Quintain had advertised their plans to build a new hotel in the Samovar Space/Market Square at the site so I popped down on a very chilly afternoon to see for myself.

I searched around Market Square and found nothing, then spied this,  in the distance on the edge of  the Samovar Space:

 

 

Close up it was a rather tatty notice with a QR code to Quintain's presentation:

 

 

 

And that was it - there were no other notices or indications of the plans that Quintain expect to submit to Brent Council planners in February or March. No wonder Wembley Park residents are protesting and launched a petition which so far has over 200 signatures. (SEE THE PETITION HERE).

 

I talked to the few people who had braved the cold (although more young people would be there after school) and despite sitting close to the notice while supervising their children had no idea about what was planned and were quite shocked to find out.

 

The Samovar Space is past its best as Quintain took down the Shell Performance Stage and other bits and pieces and the play area has not been repainted, but the potential for a space in the centre of Wembley Park can still be seen.  Only a much smaller area will be left if the hotel is built. All photographs were taken about 3pm this afternoon.

 

 

When the Samovar Space was installed great play was made of the involvement of young people inits design when their voices are often not heard in major developments.

 

Julian Tollast, Head of Masterplanning and Design, Quintain, welcoming an Award for the Samovar Project, said: 

It is a sad fact that young people are often overlooked when it comes to the built environment. With this in mind, we are extremely proud of the work we have done, and are continuing to do, via Seen & Heard to make Wembley Park and the wider area a more welcoming place for all. To succeed at these awards and represent not only the Borough of Brent but London as well was an honour for all involved.

In this case it  seems it is not just young people who are not being 'Seen and Heard' but Wembley Park residents and  visitors.

What a contrast to the optimism of just over 2 years ago as demonstrated by this video:

     

• Date of planning submission February/March 2026.

• Planning determination will take around 3 - 4 months and if approved construction will not commence until end of 2026 at the earliest.

• Construction likely to take 2 - 3 years.

• If you wish to make any comments or have any questions on these proposals, please  send them to :

Development@wembleypark.com

https://www.quintain.co.uk/site-services/nw04

 

 IF YOU AGREE WITH THE OBJECTORS SIGN THE PETITION HERE

 

Stand up for the Palestinians tomorrow. Join the march. 12 noon Russell Square to Whitehall

 

Palestine and Gaza may be out of the headlines but Palestinians continue to suffer, and die or are wounded, despite the so-called ceasefire. Some from continued Israeli aggression and others from cold or malnutrition with no homes or shelter apart from flimsy tents or ruined houses. Food and medical supplies shortages continue.

Against that background President Trump, in an old-fashioned imperialist project, is set to annex Gaza and expel its population aided by ex-UK premier Tony Blair.

 

Keep up the pressure and join the march tomorrow. Look out for the Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign banner at the meeting point on the corner of Bedford Way and Russell Square.

We will not be silenced. 

Poetry In Wembley: 'Roots' - Jane Clarke, Jessican Mookherjee and perhaps YOU! Thursday March 5th at Wembley Library, Brent Civic Centre, Wembley Park

 

I am sharing this early to give our poets in Brent a chance to write a poem, ot choose a favourite poem, to share alongside published poets at an Open Mic on Thursday 5th March.        

From Poetry in Wembley: Roots

 

Join us for a festival of Poetry at Wembley Library with poets, Jane Clarke and Jessica Mookherjee followed by Open Mic.

 

Local poets bring and read your own poems or poems you love to share.

 

Irish poet Jane Clarke reads from her latest collection A Change in the Air which was shortlisted for both the T S Eliot Prize and the Forward Prize for Best Collection in 2023. Her moving poetry of people and place explores our kinship with each other and the natural world.

 

“Her verse attends so closely to the land and the people of her rural homeland that it makes us attend more closely to our own”. Ron Charles, Book Critic at the Washington Post.

 

Jessica Mookherjee is a British poet of Bengali heritage and grew up in Wales and London, now lives in Kent. She has been published in many print and online journals and anthologies and was twice highly commended for best single poem in the Forward Prize 2017 and 2021.

 

Author of 3 full collections from Nine Arches Press, her second collection , Tigress, was shortlisted for the Ledbury Prize in 202.

 

This event is funded by “Love Where You Live” Project and Star Books

Free: Tickets  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-in-wembley-roots-tickets-1979854864195

 Booking recommended.

 

As an encouragement here is a video of poetry written by Brent children as part of the 2020 Borough of Culture. Covid put paid to plans for a huge poetry slam so some of the poems were shared on YouTube instead:

  

Petition to Halt the Proposed Hotel Development at Samovar Space and Wembley Park Market Square (Plot NW04)

 

A Wembley Matters reader  in Wembley Park writes:

Quintain's 'pro-active' 'consultation' with the Wembley Park (and wider Wembley) community still seems limited to the couple of A5 posters they've put-up at random points around the development (they're really "blink and you'd miss them", it's almost like they're hoping no-one notices them!). No attempts what-so-ever at truly engaging directly with the community they profess to care so much about.

Now a petition has been launched against the hotel development on what is currently a lively open space - a break from the surrounding high rise where people can meet and childen play.

Yoga in the threatened Samovar Open Space  (Picture from wembleypark.com)

 

The Petition (SIGN HERE)

We grew up surrounded by the vibrant energy of Wembley Park Market Square, a place where families gather, children play, communities connect, and traditions flourish. This is not merely a physical space, it is the heartbeat of our local culture. People from all walks of life come together here, united by a rich tapestry of diverse stalls, warm interactions, and a deep sense of belonging. Sadly, this cherished community space is now under threat.

A proposal has been put forward and discussed with the council to construct a hotel on Olympic Way, directly opposite the Civic Centre, on the site of Wembley Park Market Square and Samovar Space without any meaningful consultation with local residents or their elected representatives. Residents should have been informed by email and a proper consultation should have been held for all neighbouring residents, rather than limiting consultation to only those living at Landsby East.

If approved, this development would have far reaching consequences for both residents and the environment, while permanently eliminating a valued open space that is central to our community life.

The construction of a hotel in this location would not only overshadow and diminish this much loved public space, but would also likely result in increased traffic congestion, noise pollution, environmental damage, and additional strain on already pressured local infrastructure. The character and charm of the neighbourhood could be irreversibly altered, depriving future generations of the cultural, social, and communal experiences that have long defined Wembley Park.

Beyond the environmental and infrastructural concerns, such a large scale development would significantly impact residents’ quality of life. Increased footfall from hotel guests could lead to overcrowding, parking difficulties, and the erosion of the peaceful atmosphere that the community currently enjoys.

We firmly believe that alternative locations exist which are far more suitable for a development of this nature, locations that do not require the sacrifice of an invaluable community space. We therefore urge Brent Council, Quintain, and all relevant stakeholders to reconsider this proposal and take meaningful action to ensure that Wembley Park retains its unique cultural identity and heritage.

Please stand with us in preserving the vibrancy and spirit of Wembley by opposing the proposed hotel development at Wembley Park Market Square and Samovar Space. Sign this petition to protect the heart of our community and help secure a future in which local culture and shared spaces are safeguarded for the benefit of all.

 

 

The Farmers' Market in Market Square - the hotel will overshadow the Civic Centre Library and replace much of the Square (picture from Wembley Park Com) 

 

Comments on the Petition site:

To Brent Council and Quintain, Wembley Park is being shaped by decisions that prioritise profit over people. Both Brent Council and Quintain should seriously consider the principles outlined in Thomas Heatherwick’s Humanise, which argues that buildings and neighbourhoods must be designed around human health and wellbeing — not maximum financial return. More buildings may generate revenue for developers, but the long-term impact on residents will be far greater. Increased strain on the NHS, social services, and housing support is inevitable when overcrowding and poor living conditions are normalised. These costs will be paid by the public, not by the developers who benefit today. What drives this approach is simple: greed. And it is telling that no one making these decisions would realistically choose to live at Wembley Park under the conditions being created for others. Development should serve the people who live there — not just the financial interests of a few. The right thing to do is to stop, reassess, and place human lives, health, and dignity ahead of profit. 

This square is one of the few genuinely shared community spaces we have - it’s where local markets run, kids play, and people actually spend time together. Building a hotel here would permanently take that away. On a practical level, the area already struggles with infrastructure: the local Sainsbury’s regularly has long queues and stock shortages, and transport and foot traffic are already stretched, especially when concerts or events finish. Adding a hotel would significantly increase congestion, confusion for visitors, delivery traffic, waste, noise, and pressure on services that clearly aren’t equipped to handle it. With limited open space, crowd flow would become a real safety concern during busy periods. This development doesn’t improve the area - it removes a vital community space and creates ongoing problems for residents, families, and local businesses. The construction period alone would last years, bringing constant noise, dust, visual blight, and disruption that would make events difficult or impossible to run and harm local traders. Environmentally, losing open space will worsen air quality, increase noise and light pollution, and contribute to urban overheating and drainage issues. The area already lacks the infrastructure to support additional pressure, and increased traffic, deliveries, and visitor congestion would create ongoing safety and accessibility problems. This proposal prioritises developer profit over long-term community wellbeing and the character of the area.

I previously challenged the relationship between the construction and hotel industries whilst working in the Far East. Now, back in my own country, I see the same murky processes taking place. The apparent lack of consultation in this case with the local community is truly disturbing and it is essential that we challenge this at an early stage in the proceedings by demanding the necessary and promised levels of transparency before any decision is made. Please sign the petition at your earliest convenience

Note: I understand that the well-used Children's Playground opposite the entrance to the London Designer Outlet from the Boulevard is also subject to development in the future.

 

 

Open Day: Plans for Willesden Trades Hall - help shape the building's future - food, music (includings Lovers Rock soundtrack) and kids' activities

 

On behalf of the trustees of the Willesden Trades Hall Charity, we would like to invite you to an open day and consultation event at the Willesden Trades Hall and Apollo Club at 375 High Road, Willesden NW10 2JR, on Saturday 14th February 2026 from 12pm till 4pm. Flyer attached!

We are keen to hear your views on the emerging plans for the building’s future repair and re-use, designed by architects Adjaye Associates. There will be food, music, tours of the building, children’s activities and people to talk to. You can drop in at any time during the event. 

TOGETHER against the far right. Wednesday 28th January 7pm, Chalkhill Community Centre