I had a peek at Union Park North currently under construction in Wembley Park this morning. It is claimed to take inspiration from Humprey Repton who created the landscape around Barn Hill from around 1793.
At this stage there appears to be too much concrete to my taste and a natural pond/lake would be more in the Barn Hill tradition but of course it is early days. Some tree planting has already taken place and plans include 'a community centre, public art, a dedicated area for pets to enjoy some ‘pet time’ off their lead and a new bandstand for free music and entertainment year-round.'
Quintain claim that there are two aspects to the name 'Union Park' one aspect is bringing together a new community and the other a tribute to Walter Citrine, the first Baron of Wembley and 'one of the leading British and international trade unionists in the 20th century. Baron Citrine was widely credited for providing the Trades Union Congress with the administrative backbone it needed to become the respected lobbying organisation it is today.'
It will be interesting to see what is planned to explain his contribution in the new park.
The south section of Union Park has been open for some time. It is reviewed HERE.
30 comments:
Doesn't look like anything they promised initially on checking the old press releases from Wembley Park.
A park, really?
Looks like they are running out of money, usually the Wembley Park street name signs are on a silver pole and metal plate. This uses the traditional street name sign (but I do like this better). Looks more like an open space than a park. I wonder what will happen on event days, will it be Quintain residents only or will it be open to the public as a public park?
Probably become a meeting point for tin cans and burger wrappers
Can't wait to see some BIkini Clad Lovelies trying to sunbathe on the concrete sun loungers. Suppose you will have to bring your own airbed, sponge mattress. It will be very hit and miss amongst all that shade from the surrounding blocks. Either that or it will provide a comfortable bed on which to catch a few winks and sober up if your a footie fan who has over indulged
Our streets and parks are full of street drinkers everyday littering and urinating but of course as usual footie fans are easy targets to blame!!!
What on earth dies 'Tippatone' refer to and what dreadful kerning (spacing) between the letters on that road sign! Are there no proper sign writers anymore???
Dear Anon 2025 M03 17 23:00, they are an easy target because that's what happens, also there are a lot of them and they are held back by the Police and there are few if any toilets on match days. Sort of makes sense that they are a problem. That is not saying that Brent isn't plagued by street drinkers, mainly because they can't afford pubs or homes large enough to relax in. How anyone affords to live in Brent if they have to pay rent is beyond me.
TIPI was the previous name of Quintain Living the Private Rental Company in Wembley Park. It is possible that a Quintain clever person devised that cryptic name. I have to admit that TIPP AT One Walk is a very odd name for a path! But the the entire Wembley Park thing is slightly surreal and Dystopian. How on earth do the people living in Wembley Park afford these ridiculous/ludicrous rents?
What have I started? I never mentioned them drinking only sleeping it off and I was being sarcastic! Zero Tolerance of Street Drinking in HA9 is a big success for the Council and Police as it is not seen, there is a dramatic reduction in rubbish, cans, bottles etc. The only persistent problem is them urinating in every corner/alley way etc.
Poor excuse for a Park
What is the obsession of Water? It can't be good as it doesn't attract any ducks or swans which would be a nice feature, but even they don't want to live in the concrete jungle that is Wembley NoPark Looool
Can you confirm it will be a Public Park?
Football fans a problem? No, they are not!
They are instead people who have spent a lot of money on tickets and travel to attend world-class events our National Football Stadium - the stadium was opened in 1923 but nothing has been done to really improve the supporters experience of attending events - not enough toilets, fans crammed into small areas due to all the huge developments, local restaurants increasing prices on match days.
Football fans need to be treated with respect!
If Brent street drinkers cannot afford to go to pubs why aren't they drinking at home rather than littering and urinating in our streets and parks???
If their rents are so high how can they afford the drink???
There is no excuse at all for them littering our streets with alcohol cans and bottles 😡
TIPPATONE WALK, stupid name, named by stupid people. Who thought this one up and Brent Council endorsed it. It can't get any worse or can it?
Once again you blame the football fans for urinating when there are not enough toilets provided.
Even on non event days where can you go to the loo in Wembley High Road??? Wembley Central station toilets have been closed "temporarily' for repair for over 2 years!!!
Dear Anon - 2025 M03 18 11:04 Welcome to the contemporary and obviously unremarkable, faceless, nondescript, passionless, insipid Dystopian Borough of Brent. The land of grey biscuit boxes pretending to be homes. As for football supporters, they are the new breed, they obviously have plenty of spare cash, not like the residents of Brent.
Its not really to my taste, but I can think of any other development in Wembley that has provided areas of open space for use by the general public so that's a benefit.
Majority of residents of Brent are wealthy.
You are joking, average wage 23K
According to this the average salary in Brent is £43,600 ...
https://www.plumplot.co.uk/North-West-London-salary-and-unemployment.html
Presume its a reference to Bob Marley who once lived in Neasden.
Tippatone (also known as (Lord) Tippatone Hifi[1]) was an early Jamaican sound system.[2] Tippatone rose to prominence in the late 1960s, as the popularity of the second generation of sound systems (specifically Coxsone Dodd's Downbeat Sound System and Duke Reid's The Trojans) decreased,[1] and they were very popular in the early to mid-1970s.[2] Their selector was Jah Wise, who had started as a "boxboy," carrying equipment for the act, and quickly became their selector.[1]
Tippatone, like all sound systems, engaged in sound clashes; according to Jah Wise, those with King Twilight from Montego Bay were the most difficult.[3] Tippatone is one of the few sound system who has dubplates from Bob Marley.[4]
Above from Wikipedia.
Thank you Martin for the definition.
When was the last Reggae Soundclash at Wembley?
How do you know football fans have plenty of spare cash? Rather than gambling, smoking, drinking and holidays they might instead chose to spend their money on football.
Everyone has the opportunity to work and spend their money as they wish!
Dear Anon 2025 M03 19 09:10
Taken from Brent's 2023-27 Borough Plan Evidence Pack
The overall poverty rate after housing costs (AHC) in Brent was estimated at 33.0%
Child poverty AHC was 39.5% in Brent for 2020-21,
There were 1,671 Brent households in temporary accommodation at the end of June 2022
There are 26,014 households on the Housing register list at the end of June 2022
27.9% of full time employees in Brent for 2021 earn less than the London Living Wage of £11.05 per hour
Demand for the Resident Support Fund is also increasing with 2,277 applications received in Q1 of 2022-23 alone
Brent’s median annual wage for full-time employees is £33,805.
Residents of Brent are generally poor?
How many people are claiming benefits because they are problem gamblers?
How many children are living in poverty because of their parents gambling problems???
"Key findings of a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) conducted by Brent Council revealed that 6.2 per cent of residents in the borough are categorised as ‘problem gamblers’ – more than double the national average of 2.9 per cent. But it’s not just the social and community side that is impacted by the growing number of gambling sites, it is also having a direct economic impact. The JSNA also found that gambling-related harm is costing Brent an estimated £14.3m per year"
https://harrowonline.org/2025/03/09/residents-in-brent-with-gambling-problems-more-than-double-the-national-average/
Ah, the classic kneejerk cynicism about a public space designed for the people… how very predictable. Let’s be clear, Union Park represents progress, community, and investment in green infrastructure, all of which should be celebrated, not nitpicked by armchair urbanists lamenting their imagined pasts.
Of course, the usual crowd will scoff… “too much concrete,” “not enough water,” “where are the swans?”… as if they’d ever set foot in a working-class park that wasn’t landscaped to within an inch of its life for the middle classes to sip their oat lattes in. Wembley is a vibrant, evolving borough, shaped by working people, and this park isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about function. Green space in urban areas is an essential public good, particularly in a borough with the levels of deprivation Brent faces.
and let’s be honest… delivering spaces like this in a city dominated by private landownership and speculation isn’t easy. That’s why Labour’s public-private partnership with Quintain is so important. Instead of leaving development solely in the hands of corporate interests who would price out local communities, this partnership ensures that Wembley’s regeneration includes public space, social value, and long-term community benefit. This is what a responsible, progressive approach to urban planning looks like… harnessing investment while keeping the interests of ordinary people at the heart of development.
And let’s talk about Walter Citrine… an actual titan of the labour movement, whose name being attached to this space should be a rallying cry for trade unionists and community organisers. This park is a testament to the power of collective action… proof that regeneration doesn’t have to mean displacement, that investment can serve the public good, and that Labour in power delivers for working people.
So instead of fixating on whether football fans will have a place to sober up or if the street signs meet some niche design standards, let’s focus on what matters. This park is public, open, and for everyone. It will provide a space for culture, community, and recreation… a reminder that our cities belong to the people who live in them, not just to those who profit from them.
These are the real questions. Because if you’re worried about the spirit of Wembley and the integrity of public space, then the fight isn’t against regeneration… it’s against those who would strip public assets and new modern spaces from the people.
*****solidarity***** with every worker who built this park, every trade unionist who fought for the rights that made such projects possible, and every resident who will get to enjoy this space as their own. Let’s keep it that way.
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