Wembley: How it feels to live on a multi-building site

Guest post by Wembley resident Jaine Lunn
 

A normal day in the life of one Wembley Central resident.

Thank god for a very rainy day, Wednesday 2^nd August 2017.

 At least it keeps all the dust and fumes down from the numerous developments under construction or demolition within 500 metres of my home.

 No birdsong, lack of trees I guess, just numerous HGV’s back and forth fromeight building sites.  Parking wherever they can, engines running, irrespective of pavements or pedestrians, off loading, collecting and delivering skips, and all manner of toxic waste.  Air Quality? What’s that? Brent Council concerned about doing something about it – er I doubt it, well certainly not for the next few years, maybe in 2021 when most of these developments will have been completed.

Cotterell House, Formerly unused and home to Blue Rooms Restaurant	Wembley Hill Road Currently under demolition	55 Residential, 6/8/10 storeys
Mahatma Gandi House Former Brent Council Housing Offices	Wembley Hill Road Under demolition	198 Residential 10 & 21 storeys
South West Lands (Quintain) Area around Chiltern Cutting and South Way	South Way Under construction	800+ Residential Up to 19 storeys
Brent House Former One Stop Shop for most council services	Wembley High Road Under demolition	248 Residential Various sizes no more than 13 storeys = to Elizabeth House
Jenga Court Converted office block	Wembley High Road under construction	34 Residential 6 Storeys
Lanmor House Converted office block	Wembley High Road Under construction	36 Residential 6 storeys
Ark Elvin Academy Former Coplands School	To rear of Wembley High Road Under construction
Chesterfield House Former Brent Council	Wembley High Road and Park Lane	239 Residential units 21 and 26 storeys
8 total in progress		Total 1,610 Units

Jenga Court and Lanmor House were granted planning permission under permitted development so Brent Council had no say in what was being built or size of flats etc, and could not demand amenity space, storage or reduce existing car parking provison.

In actually reading Wembley Calling and Wembley Master Plan regeneration etc etc:

How many of these developments meet the 25% stated for 3 bed+ homes desperately needed in this area?

How many have allowed 10% for disabled use?

How many meet the minimum requirements of amenity space and storage for the amount of residents that will inhabit these properties?

As many of these buildings will be “Car Free Developments” ……we all know what that old chestnut means.  Where will all these people park their cars?  Wembley is already at astronomic proportions of gridlock during peak hours on a normal day, let alone Event days. 

Buses and Trains are heaving with people on a daily basis.  TfL need to have a re-think of how they are going to deliver public transport in this area when its population is expanding at a phenomenal rate.

Whilst I accept that Wembley is one of the best locations for service by Public Transport with its numerous train stations and buses, in its present form it does not provide the kind of service that makes people want to give up their cars. Many of my neighbours who live in the CPZ and all have permits to park, need their vehicles to get to work.  Many work unsociable hours at Heathrow Airport or in companies providing 24 hour services/logistics often starting between 3.00 and 5.00 am when public transport is not available to get them to their destinations, or bring them home past midnight, only to find out they cannot park as the CPZ ends at 6.30 p.m. creating a “free for all” if you can find a space that is.