After a long delay Brent Council has agreed the acquisition of the Falcon Pub in South Kilburn. opposite the Queens Park station car park. The site was designated as the 'Gateway' to regenerated South Kilburn but acquisition was beset by difficulties. The decision notice below gives the final purchase price as £3,250,000.
A local resident observes:
It looks like the Falcon has finally been purchased after such a long time, as the Queen's Park/Cullen House site including The Falcon, received planning approval back in 2012 but is out of date and will now have to be redesigned and sent back to planning.
The original plan included 37 affordable homes for rent, with both 3 bed and 4 bed homes but will this change to make it viable?The council have described this site as being 'the gateway to the new SK' with most of the new homes being private, together with several 'upmarket retail outlets e.g. a Waitrose superstore'.
BRENT COUNCIL DECISION NOTICE 7.5.24
This decision confirms approval of the final terms for the Council to acquire the freehold of the Falcon Public House site situated on Kilburn Lane from Londonewcastle (QP2) LLP in order to assist with the ongoing regeneration of the South Kilburn Housing estate to deliver much needed affordable housing.
A Key Officer Decision Report was approved on 15 April 2024 for a maximum purchase price for the Falcon Public House. Brent Council and Londonewcastle (QP2) LLP have reached agreement on the value of the Falcon Public House within the maximum sum and authority is therefore sought to proceed with the acquisition.
Decision:
To approve acquisition of the freehold of the Falcon Public House site, located on Kilburn Lane from Londonewcastle (QP2) LLP on the terms agreed in the sum of £3,250,000 ex VAT.
Reasons for the decision:
At its meeting on 14 October 2019, Cabinet resolved to terminate the South Kilburn Queens Park LLP Project Agreement and Members Agreement (“SKQP Agreement”) by 30 October 2019, if an agreement on outstanding conditions precedent could not be reached between the Council and LN.
Additionally, Cabinet resolved that, contingent upon the termination of the SKQP Agreement, the Council should enter into an option agreement for the acquisition of the Falcon Public House site situated on Kilburn Lane (the “Site”) from Londonewcastle (QP2) LLP (“LN”). The authority to exercise this option and negotiate terms for the acquisition of the Site was delegated to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment (now Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Regeneration), in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Property, and Planning (now the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Growth).
The Council and LN have reached a mutual agreement on the valuation of the Falcon Pub on 19 April 2024.
Alternative options considered:
Given Cabinet’s requirements to terminate the SKQP Agreement and enter into an option agreement for the purchase of the Falcon Public House officers are required to pursue the purchase of the Falcon Public House.
Officers have attempted on a number of occasions to agree a purchase price for the Falcon Public House with LN. Only when it was not possible at the time to agree the purchase price, did officers refer the matter to arbitration as stipulated in the Option Agreement. During the arbitration, Officers continued to make attempts to agree a purchase price.
Interests and Nature of Interests Declared:
None
Wards Affected: Kilburn; Queens Park;
Cabinet/Committee Decision or Scheme of Delegation: Cabinet delegation - 14 October 2019 and Officer Scheme of Delegation (Part 3 - Constitution)
Parties Consulted: Consultation with the Cabinet members for Finance, Resources and Reform and also Regeneration, Planning & Growth has been carried out in relation to this matter. Ward Members have been engaged in terms of the proposed course of action.
Contact: Archika Kumar, Head of Estate Regeneration Email: archika.kumar@brent.gov.uk.
8 comments:
Received by email: Back in 2019 the pub was valued at £2,750,000 but the owners wanted more, as they knew the council could not develop the site without the pub and their 5 year wait paid off with an extra £500,000 bonus.
Didn't think Brent Council had any money???
So it has taken four and a half years and four different Strategic/Corporate Directors for Regeneration (but the same Cabinet Lead Member for Regeneration) for Brent to buy the Falcon, since the decision to exercise their option to purchase!
What does this say about the Council and its commitment to a decent and timely regeneration of South Kilburn?
Cullen House behind Falcon pub, not in use since 2010 has also been kept a derelict no-mans land on the boundary with City of Westminster.
Brent finally realises that it has successful, always front of the queue Inner London borough boundary neighbours- Westminster, RBKC, H&F and Camden?
2024, better late than never to connect, social and economic fully integrate lives and opportunities rather than to continue the Brent iron curtain tired routine of growing severances and no mans lands instead?
The 2012 Falcon/ Cullen design with permission was really poor. There is also the station car park, printing press (already cleared) behind that and St Luke's Church Westminster long wanting to 'site' cash in also.
2019 SK tall building zone, yet a tall building zone with no tall building zone masterplan. The best large scale re-developments in London worked to masterplans which were followed and taken seriously. Time to end the developer anarchy in S..K?
The sites described re-developed will fill the 14 year 'mind the gap'/ no man's land artificial Brent void between QP Brent and QP Westminster locals. How that's achieved architecturally needs highest quality design work. Maybe even involve surrounding local population final product consumers in this regeneration year 23 major project, they have certainly seen it all- the good, the bad and the way beyond ugly...
How ugly is a 45 ha car-free housing tall building zone with no car-free housing tall building zone masterplan in place as yet? Predator developers resent even a humble 70 years old 2 ha central park green infrastructure health public good being Local strong protected and invested in.
How long does it normally take for a council to buy a pub?
Its a shame the wish to demolish the Falcon! They should at least integrate the Falcon Pub's facade into the development. Much like they did with the Spotted Dog in Willesden Green. The building is a good example of Victorian architecture and has wonderful architectural merit. Preserving the facade would at least retain some of the history of Queen's Park! Let's not destroy our beautiful area and regret it in decades to come!
How can Brent force a developer to rebuild a pub yet they themselves will demolish this one?
If you are thinking of the Carlton Tavern, it was the City of Westminster who forced the developer to rebuild that pub. Brent's record on heritage buildings is poor, to say the least!
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