Abbey Wood, Bexley Council, tall building lesson for Brent?

News from Bdonline is of interest. Major planning applications go to the London Mayor consideration.  The project below was turned down by the local council but their decision was overturned by the London deputy mayor. It is similar to many applications in Brent but contained a higher proportion of affordable accommodation, at 17.5% London Living Rent, than we often see. It did not comply with local plan and London Plan criteria re tall buildings but the design was considered acceptable.

 

The deputy mayor of London has overturned a council’s rejection of plans for a 228-home build-to-rent tower in Abbey Wood.

Bexley Council had previously refused permission for Abbey Wood Sedgemere Limited’s plans to demolish existing commercial buildings and build a 25-storey tower next to the Elizabeth Line.

The council rejected the plan, designed by architect GRID, for several reasons, including the height of the building, harm to the nearby Lesnes Abbey and increased flood risks.

The scheme was called in by the Greater London Authority and Jules Pipe, has now said in a decision notice: “Considerable weight and importance has been attached to the harm caused by the proposals to Lesnes Abbey. However, it is concluded that the public benefits delivered by the scheme, improved over the course of the application, would clearly and convincingly outweigh the heritage harm.”

Pipe added that the scheme would “make a positive contribution” towards achieving housing targets in alignment with the National Planning Policy Framework, London plan and Bexley’s local plan.

The developer made several changes to the scheme since it was called in. The scheme will include 35% affordable housing, and the proportion of these homes that are London Living Rent was increased from 30% to 51%. The flood risk assessment and drainage strategy was also altered. It proposes to discharge surface water into the sewer within Harrow Manorway.

The notice said the development is considered to be largely in accordance with relevant design policy requirements. It said that while there are partial conflicts with London plan and local plan policies relating to tall building criteria, “the overall design is considered to be acceptable in response to the surrounding context and emerging character.”

Pipe said: “The proposed development would deliver new homes and affordable homes, along with non-residential town centre floorspace, public realm and landscape improvements within a highly accessible location. It would bring forward an underutilised brownfield site in close proximity to Abbey Wood Station.”

LETTER: Not enough Climate and Bio-diversity Action in Brent? Join us.

 

Dear Editor,

ACE Brent is a coalition of 13 groups who want to see more climate action in Brent. We started working together in November 2023. Can your readers support us or be involved?

 

So far we have :

 

- Agreed a set of our own priorities for climate action in Brent (on Transport/active travel, Insulation and retrofitting, Divestment, Planning and Regeneration, Renewable energy, Food/Plant based consumption, Trees/green space). We have an overarching priority of mechanisms for public participation in and scrutiny of climate action (most neighbouring councils have these). We have received responses to our priorities, and accept the arguments about lack of funds, but believe more ambition, creativity and transparency is needed when other councils are doing better. https://councilclimatescorecards.uk/#jump=london-borough-of-brent

 

We are currently working on actions we want to see in the party manifesto's for the May 2026 Council Elections:

 

- Increased discussion about climate action across the council; through delegations to Full Council and the Public Realm Scrutiny Committee, and by writing to all councillors with comments on key climate reports. One result is the current work of a Kerbside Management Task Group which is looking at actions for more climate and people friendly streets.

 

- Pushed for Monitoring the effectiveness of local climate measures, and benchmarking with relation to other London councils; resulting in a new monitoring dashboard (not yet publicised or available for public scrutiny)

 

- Influenced (maybe) the appointment of new climate roles : Cabinet member for Climate Action and Community Power (Cllr Jake Rubin), and Climate Champion (Cllr Mary Mitchell)

 

- Met regularly with Cllr Jake Rubin and Oliver Myers, Head of Environment Strategy and Climate Action. We have pushed for mechanisms for public participation, more frequent climate reporting to the Scrutiny Committee, and better information on the council website. 

 

We were able to input to the Tree Strategy before it was written, and have had discussions about planning, active travel, food issues, use of NCIL and Strategic CIL etc.

 

The meetings are useful but not a substitute for full public participation. We now have agreement that the council will publicise future meetings with ACE Brent.

 

The next meeting is on Planning and the Climate, Nov 3rd, online at 7pm, and will be attended by the senior council members and officers.

 

We are aware that many Brent groups with environmental concerns are not yet aware of ACE Brent. We welcome all groups to get involved who want Brent Council to be doing more on the climate and bio-diversity. You do not need to agree with all of our suggestions so far. You can see work in progress at the moment here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-G0zJmmH8th96TrUf5dCQiSDwnqlyfRfBxEsAfHYFCk/edit?tab=t.0

 

Join in for news, to take part in working groups and participate in meetings with council. 

 

You are welcome to :

 

1) Join us as a member group. The bigger our coalition the stronger our voice will be (see our current members below)

 

2) Join our mailing list as a group or individual. You will be updated on our activities, meetings - approx 6-weekly - meetings with the council and other key news (mailings max weekly, except when urgent matters)

 

3) Sign up for quarterly updates only

 

 

We look forward to hearing from you. And please let Elaine know Ace@brentfoe.com if you want the Microsoft Teams link for Nov 3rd at 7pm.

 

 

Best wishes,

 

Elaine Sheppard

on behalf of Action for the Climate Emergency Brent

 

Call for dialogue with Campaign Improvement Board on Brent Labour candidate selections

Rather belatedly, Brent Labour councillors are being asked to support an open letter calling on the London Region Campaign Improvement Board to reconsider their decisions on selections for the 2026 local election.

The letter, written in a respectful tone, cites the loss of effective councillors and disquiet amongst Labour members and local residents about the process.  It argues that the process has had the opposite of the intended effect of ensuring a democratic process and selection of a group of diverse and effective candidates, and could affect electoral performance in May.

The letter calls for a reconsideration of decisions and a dialogue  with party members, candidates and residents about thir concerns.

The Board is due to revisit the selections in January 2026. 

 

Brent Council seek pause in Wembley student accommodation building as proportion of students in population predicted to reach 26.8% within next 3 years

 

 

A drastic slow down in conventional home building in Brent  and a boom in purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) has led to fears of an unbalanced community, particularly in the Wembley Growth Zone.

In 2023-25 planning permission was granted for 8,000 conventional homes in Brent but there were only 656 net additionas to housing stock. Delays were blamed on shortages of labour and materials and updated safety requirements. 

Meanwhile the PBSA figures (bedrooms) were:

Completed 6,257

Under construction 1,617

Permitted/approved 1,559

Awaiting decision  2,010

 In discussion but declared acceptable by planning officers 918

 

The Wembley Growth Area 

Most of these are in the Wembley Growth area LINK:

As identified however, the spatial distribution of PBSA provision has been focussed on Wembley Growth Area where to date 6058 bedspaces have been constructed. Currently 21.8% of the Growth Area’s population is students either in PBSA or in all student households renting homes.

 

A further 1617 PBSA bedspaces are under construction and planning committee has been minded to approve 759 more bedspaces, subject to an appropriate S106 obligation. Some sites are subject to current applications and others are also in relatively advanced pre-application discussions where the principle of PBSA has been identified as acceptable. If all delivered, a further 3500 student bedspaces could be supplied in the next 3 years, resulting in 9558 bedspaces in total. It is anticipated that 1871 additional dwellings will be completed in the area in the next 3 years. Students would in three years comprise 26.8% of the overall population.

 More than a quarter of the total population would be students and this is not considered appropriate in terms of a balanced community. A planning statement is proposed that would pause  PBSA building. The officers' report suggests this would enable building of conventional housing to catch up and the student proportion of the total population would return to an acceptable 20%.

As this is an interpretation of policy in relation to clarifying the position in terms of PBSA over-concentration/ supporting balanced and mixed communities, rather than writing new policies, it is suggested that the Council issues a policy position statement. Although not officially recognised in planning statutes as a Local Development Document or perhaps having the weight of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), if consulted upon and following the same processes as a SPD, once adopted by the Council it can be regarded as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications with some weight.

 

This will provide clarity to prospective developers or investors in PBSA, particularly in Wembley Growth Area that, other than schemes already subject to approval or with clear advice from the Council through the pre-application process that the principle of PBSA is currently acceptable, the Council is unlikely to support their scheme in the short term.

 Given developers' enthusiasm for profit-making student accommodation and the limited legal status of the 'planning statement' we may well see appeals in the future if applications are refused. Backbenchers have expressed disquiet at the amount of student accommodation being approved versus the lack of truly affordable housing. Whether building of normal homes will actually accelerate is currently unclear but as an interm measures is proposed PBSA developers rather than providing a proportion of afford student accommodation would instead make a contribution to the building of affordable homes elsewhere in the borough.

 

Our Freedom: Then and Now – great Brent Libraries events for October!

 Guest post by local historian Philip Grant in a personal capacity

 

 

Fanny Blankers-Kohn winning the women’s 100m at Wembley in 1948.

 

As well as “Poetry in Wembley: The Language of Care” on 16 October, Brent Libraries are putting on a range of free events this month as part of the nationwide Our Freedom: Then and Now project. This looks at what freedom means for us now, following on from the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day. The local theme for this is ‘a creative community project that invites local people to rediscover and reimagine Brent’s wartime history, offering residents a chance to explore hidden stories from the Second World War and connect them with their own lived experiences of freedom, resilience, and community today.’

 

For those who are free during the day, there will be four “coffee morning” events, each from 11am to 12noon (with free tea and coffee available from around 10.45!). I will put “links” in the title of each to the Eventbrite page where you can get more details, and reserve your place if you would like to attend.

 

On the starting line, at Kingsbury Library on Tuesday 7 October, is my illustrated talk on “Wembley’s 1948 Olympic Games” (above). These “austerity games”, the first summer Olympics for 12 years (since Berlin in 1936), were not just a sporting event, but a chance to help rebuild a peaceful world, where nations could compete in friendly rivalry, not fight each other. As well as the Games themselves, the talk will show how the people of Wembley, and its Council, helped to make them a success.

 

A British ladies’ football team in 1895.

 

Next in the programme, at Willesden Green Library on 14 October, is Phil Vasili’s talk on “The History of Women’s Football in the UK”. Many of us will have celebrated the success of England’s “Lionesses” in two European Championships in the past few years, but I certainly didn’t know there had been a ladies’ football team in this country as far back as 1895! (Did Queen Victoria know? If so, I suspect she would not have been amused!) 

 

An extract from one of the wartime letters from Preston Park.

 

On Wednesday 22 October at Wembley Library, I am involved again with the illustrated presentation of “Wartime letters from Preston Park”. Two ladies from the Brent Libraries team will also be joining me, to read extracts from letters written by local housewives, Nancie and Doris, to a former neighbour during the Second World War. Having heard their first-hand experiences of living through a conflict, while trying to give their children as normal an upbringing as possible, there will be the chance for discussion. Many other wars have taken place since 1945, with some still ongoing, and anyone who wishes to share their more recent experiences, and how these compare with those in the letters, will be very welcome at this event.

 

  

The Second World War is also the subject of October’s final “coffee morning” event, at Willesden Green Library on Tuesday 28 October. “Stepping Back in Time” is a WW2 object handling session hosted by Brent Museum & Archives, where you can also share wartime stories handed down through your family, as well as enjoying your tea/coffee and biscuits. 

 

Brent Libraries, Culture and Heritage is also partnering with the Jason Roberts Foundation to put on several events in the Our Freedom: Then and Now programme. These include two early evening (from 6.30 to 8pm) “In Conversation” discussions with local sporting heroes this month, which are free and open to people of all ages. 

 

These events kick off at Harlesden Library on Wednesday 15 October, with “In Conversation with: Richard Langley & Mark Stein”, when these two former professional footballers will talk candidly about the changes they have seen over the years, both on and off the field. This will be followed by a Q&A session’

 

Athletes including Yamilé Aldama and Connie Henry.

 

Taking up the baton, two former track athletes will be at Wembley Library on Thursday 23 October, when you can get “In Conversation with Yamilé Aldama & Connie Henry, MBE”. These two Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallists will discuss all facets of freedom and what it means to them, including freedom of expression, identity, and whether our freedom could be at risk, as well as taking part in a Q&A session with the audience.

 

I hope these Our Freedom: Then and Now events will include some you can come and enjoy this month. And there are more, including Black History Month events, that you can find on the Brent Libraries, Culture and Heritage Eventbrite page at:

http://tinyurl.com/jjhjrrzs

 

I encourage you all to make the most of these free events, organised for all Brent residents by the frontline team at Brent Libraries!

Philip Grant.

 

 

Poetry in Wembley: The Language of Care. Wembley Library October 16th 6.30-7.30pm

Caroline Smith has been organising the Poetry in Wembley Series '160+One with Brent Library Service. The idea is to give voice to the 160 different first languages spoken in Brent through the unifying language of Poetry.

 

The first events were very successful with the Queen's Gold Medallist poet Imtiaz Dharker earlier in the year, and poets from Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Pakistan reading their works.

 

On the evening of 16th of October, Erica Hesketh and Caroline Smith will be launching their new books published by Nine Arches Press, 6:30 - 7:30pm at the Civic Centre .

 

Caroline's previous collection was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award and many of the individual poems in this collection have already been published in journals and won prizes in poetry competitions.

 

Barry Gardiner calls on 'supine' Government to demand release of constituent Aaron White, 'kidnapped' my Israeli forces from m.v. Alma on its way to deliver food and medical aid to Gaza

 

See Aaron's Instagram post LINK
 

After an Instagram campaign calling for him to act on the abduction of his Brent West constituent Aaron White, by the Israeli forces, Barry Gardiner has written to  Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, calling on her to secure his release.

Aaron White was sailing with the Global Sumud Flotilla to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver food and medical aid.

Gardiner called the Israeli interception a 'kidnapping' and an 'act of piracy' on the high seas. 

Accusing the Government of being 'mute' in the face of the Israeli imposed famine, he concluded:

When future generations look back on the role British politicians played in the destruction of Gaza and its people, let them not say 'Just like politicians in all the genocides before.they stood by and said nothing.'

All the nuance and fine scholarly arguments that government lawyers provide to excuse our current complicity will count for nothing.  People will look back and condemn us as supine.

 

 

Brent Council solidarity statement after Manchester synagogue attack

From Brent Council 

On Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the people of Brent stand shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

The news emerging today is deeply distressing, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected. To our Jewish neighbours, friends and colleagues here in Brent – and in Manchester today – you are not alone. We share your pain, we honour your faith, and we stand with you in solidarity and compassion.

Just as our Jewish neighbours have stood with others in times of need, so too now the people of Brent stand with you. We are working closely with community leaders, synagogues and the police to ensure that people here feel safe and supported.

Brent is proud to be a borough where people of all faiths and none live side by side. On this most sacred of Jewish days, we recommit ourselves to building a nation where hate has no home, and where everyone belongs.

To every family marking Yom Kippur in Brent and beyond, please know that you are in our thoughts, in our prayers, and in our hearts.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council

Developer seeks to expand student accommodation at 24 Harlesden High Street

 

This modest black door between shop fronts will lead to 67 bed student accommodation

A planning application to expand present student accommodation at 24 Harlesden High Street from 45 student bedrooms to 67. The site is in a conservation area. The expansion is achieved by utilising some of the retail storage space and several new buildings. One site  (blue below) owned by the applicants but not in this application looks likely to be used for further expansion.

 

Proposed scheme

The applicant, Berber Property Holdings, state:

Since obtaining permission and implementation, the block has been hugely successful and has made a positive impact to both Harlesden High Street and the broader Conservation Area by serving the local student accommodation need with the obvious economic benefits that this has brought. The building, with its high level interior design, common areas including a fully equipped gym, reading areas and social rooms equipped with PCs are highly desirable providing a safe environment which encourages social interaction between the occupants.

The current proposal aims to build upon this success by providing additional student units serving the local demographic needs. The proposal aims to ensure that the building’s use and function continues to make a positive impact on both the local needs and the character of the Conservation Area in a sustainable and meaningful way.

The illustration above of a dense site, at various levels, made me wonder about the fire safety risk, with 67 residents potentially vacating at the same time at night through a narrow exit. There is a Fire Safety Report that I hope planning officers review in detail. At present it seems to suggest exit to an area of safety inside the site. It relies on only the building that is the seat of the fire evacuating.

 

 Ground Floor Units

• The 2 storey single dwelling house will include a protected staircase with fire doors to all rooms on both floors opening onto the staircase.
• The 4 studio units will be limited a travel distance less then 9m.
• All units are accessed from an external communal space however all doors will be FD30S fire doors with self-closers, intumescent strips and smoke seals.
 

First Floor

• The 10 units on the 1st floor are accessed from a communal open space.
• The studio units will be limited a travel distance less then 9m.
• All units are accessed from an external communal space via an external staircase, however all doors will be FD30S fire doors with self-closers, intumescent strips and smoke seals.
 

Second Floor

• The 3 units are accessed via an internal communal staircase with a communal lobby distance measuring less then 4.5m.
• The staircase discharges on the 1st floor to an open space to an external staircase down to the ground level leading to a place of safety.
• The studio units will be limited a travel distance less then 9m with FD30S fire doors with self-closers, intumescent strips and smoke seals.
 

Third Floor

• The 3 units are accessed via an internal communal staircase with a communal lobby distance measuring less then 4.5m.
• The staircase discharges on the 1st floor to an open space to an external staircase down to the ground level leading to a place of safety.
• The studio units will be limited a travel distance less then 9m with FD30S fire doors with self-closers, intumescent strips and smoke seals.
 

General Points
• Means of escape will be based on the apartment of fire origin only evacuating in the residential accommodation. No interconnection of fire alarm system or evacuation protocol is proposed between any areas.
• Travel distances in the units are limited to 9m with these provisions supported by an automatic fire alarm and detection systems.

There are no comments as yet on the Brent Council Planning portal for this application (Reference 25/2368) but full documentation can be found there. LINK

Affected or fearful of flooding in Kilburn? Meeting Tuesday 7th October 6pm at Salvation Army, Chichester Road

 

I’m James, I’m an engagement officer with the National Flood Forum, an independent charity which supports communities who have been affected by flooding.

On Tuesday 7th October,  I’ll be holding the first of a number of community meetings aimed at providing support to people who have been affected by flooding in South Kilburn and helping local people to shape how they are protected against flooding in the future.

• Tuesday 7th October
• 6pm – 7:30pm
• Salvation Army, Kilburn, 55 Chichester Rd, London NW6 5QW

If you or someone you know has been affected by flooding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and all are welcome on the day.

James@floodforum.org.uk

07599 252 487

I’m also very new to the area, so any help in spreading the word to ensure that we reach as many affected people as possible, would be hugely appreciated.

Please do feel free also to get in touch if you have any questions or there is anything I can help with.

James Leaney

Senior Flood Engagement Officer

Kilburn Flood  

Call for independent chairing of Brent Scrutiny Committee when it considers the closure of Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool

 

Backbencher Cllr Daniel Kennelly asked Cllr Ketan Sheth at Full Council if and when the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee would consider the closure of the Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool by the local NHS.

Cllr Sheth had listed sickle cell care, urgent care treatment centre at Central Midlesex Hospital and Youth Justice as future agenda items for his Committee but did not mention the Hydrotherapy Pool. 

Cllr Sheth thanked Cllr Kennelly for his 'very helpful' questionsand said the issue was 'very much on his radar' and that he would inform the councillor and the chamber when it was on the agenda.

Cllr Paul Lorber (Lib Dem) intervened demanding that the Committee meeting considering the issues should be independently chaired as Cllr Ketan Sheth in a local newspaper article (above) had taken a position that merely 'paraphrased the excuses [for the closure] made by the health service'.

Given the controversy over the closure it is astonishing that it was not already on the Agenda! See below:

 

Petition Stop the closure of Northwick ParkHydrotherapy Pool - 3,156 verified signtures

Open Letter to Cllr Ketan Sheth: Hydrotherapy Pool closure needs effectivescrutiny 

Barry Gardiner calls for Hydrotherapy Pool closure to be paused, release ofdocumentation regarding the decision and review of decision in consultationwith service users 

Healthwatch Brent calls on Trust to reconsider Northwick Park HydrotherapyPool closure

Philip Grant: Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool – what the NHS Trust ChiefExecutive wrote (and my reply, seeking to help resolve her problem) 

Northwick Hospital & NHS Trust 'disrespecting' staff and patients over what appear to be secret plans to close the much needed Hydrotherapy Pool funded by donations. Link to Petition.