Monday 16 December 2019

Officers recommend acceptance of planning application for Wembley Stadium Retail Park, McDonalds & Troubadour Theatre site

L to R Retail stores, McDonalds, Troubadour Theatre (Fountain Studios)
Replacement development (the light brown building bottom left is the College of North West London which is also due to be redeveloped)
Officers are recommending acceptance of  Quintain's plans for the redevelopment of the Olympic Way/Wembley Park Drive/Fulton Road site currently occupied by Wembley Stadium Retail Park, McDonalds and the Troubadour Theatre.

Approximately 995 housing units will be built on the site and there will be 6,600 square metres of floor space at ground level for a variety of uses including retail, office and leisure.

The tallest block will be 25 storeys high with 8 storey blocks facing Wembley Park Drive. As often the case the amount of 'affordable' housing is less than recommended as is the amount for larger families but deemed acceptable by the officers' report on the basis of viability studies.
The 'affordable' housing would be:
For 1 Bed and 2 Bed Units – Affordable Rents (inclusive of service charges) no more than 80% of local open market rent, and capped at Local Housing Allowance rates, and to be agreed in writing by the Council (such agreement to not unreasonably be withheld) 

For 3 Bed and 4 Bed Units – Social Rent Target Rents (exclusive of service charges) determined through the national rent regime and set annually by the Homes and Communities Agency or any successor body, and to be agreed in writing by the Council (such agreement to not unreasonably be withheld)
The development includes podium green space (located above the retail - see the centre blocks), some at ground level between the retail units and accessible roof space on all excpet the tallest block. Officers point to the proximity of Chalkhill and King Edward VII parks for children's use. Give the large number of residents they suggest re-design of the crossing point to the shops on the other side of Wembley park Drive from the development. This site, without any development, has already seen a number of accidents to pedestrians when trying to cross the road.

There is no guarantee that any of the existing facilities, including the Troubadour Theatre,  in the development would transfer to this new 'Fulton Quarter' although there is a suggestion that  a cultural facility might be provided. The lion heads that were on the Lucullus Brent Empire Exhibition restaurant, on this site,  will be mounted in the new Fulton Square and there will be interpretive panels about the BEE and Wembley Park Studios. Regular Wembley Matters contributor Philip Grant will be pleased with this news. LINK

Twenty seven trees will be removed from the site but officers argue that this is compensated for by the planting of 36 trees at street level and 100 at podium level.

2 comments:

Jaine Lunn said...

now the objection to No1 Olympic Way makes sense, because Quintain now want to build even taller blocks on the opposite side of the pedestrian way. Good luck to them, they have completely ruined a once beautiful area full of trees which was frequented by birds, good luck to all the people who may be so desperate to want to live in the area, you're gonna need it.

Philip Grant said...

Much as I regret the massive over-development of Wembley Park by Quintain, I can confirm that I am pleased to see that they have accepted my 2017 suggestion, to put the two lion head plaques from the BEE Lucullus Restaurant building on public display, as part of their plans.

Their proposed Fulton Square will be a small green space, overshadowed for much of the time by tower blocks up to 25 storeys high, if approved, but at least it should be a place where residents and visitors can sit, and learn a little about the Wembley Park that used to be here.