North Brent Community Garden Open Day Sunday 31st August 11.30am -3.30pm

 

Some clarification regarding the proposed building and open space on the Samovar Space, Wembley Park

 Cllr Lorber has been provided with a little more clarity on the Samovar Space at Wembley Park:

In terms of the planning applications, the relevant masterplan consent for Plot NW04 is 10/3032 (as most recently varied by 18/0968). The outline planning permission permits an office or hotel use on the plot (adjacent to the ‘tower’ element of the Civic Centre), with ancillary retail/food and bar use. It’s worth noting that roughly half of the plot (to its southern side) is required to comprise public open space (predominantly hard landscaped) within the approved parameters, with the building required to be on the northern half of the plot. As such, the ‘Market Square’ would be retained, albeit reduced in size. However, this was always envisaged to be the case, and the part of the existing square that is not yet built on is a ‘meanwhile use’ until the eventual development comes forward.

 

The above was the approval under 14/3054 (which varied the original 2010 consent).

 

 

The above was the approved 2018 consent which provided public open space fronting Engineers Way (hatched).

 

 

 

 Existing showing the Samovar Space and Sound Shell (Google Earth)

 

 

I  have asked Quintain if they have any draft drawings of their current plans that Wembley Matters could publish, as well as an idea of the height of their proposed building. As can be seen from the 2018 image the public space will be smaller and the new building at NW04A will be closer to the Civic Centre at the library entrance. Brent Council's original deal, made as part of the £17.8m gift to Quintain for Olympic Way improvements, sought to leave more breathing space around the Civic Centre.

Open Letter to Cllr Ketan Sheth: Hydrotherapy Pool closure needs effective scrutiny

 Cllr Sheth's article (Brent & Kilburn Times 21.8.25)

The Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool will close at the end of this week. Wembley Matters has received an  Open Letter  from a patient.

 

29^th August 2025

 

Dear Councillor Sheth,

 

Re: Hydrotherapy Pool Closure

 

I have read your statement about the closure of the hydrotherapy pool, which contains a number of misconceptions and inaccuracies. As the Chair of the Scrutiny and Wellbeing Committee* you need to scrutinise this decision on behalf of Brent patients.  However, you have simply repeated the position put forward by the Trust.  Misinformation was provided by the CEO of the trust who admitted at a meeting with physiotherapy staff that she had consulted no-one, staff, patients nor the public, about the implications of the closure upon patients; she said that she had made the decision herself and would stick with it regardless.

 

 

A Freedom of Information Request to the trust has revealed that in 2024-5 the pool was used by 617 new medical referral patients [who get three sessions each before being charged], plus  a total of 7493 who paid for individual sessions at the pool, so it is obvious that a large number of patients have been benefiting from this facility.  This means that 9344 treatment sessions were provided to patients in that year, which comes to around 200 patients being helped each week of opening. The pool is open for 22 half-hour sessions weekly, totaling eleven hours, so there is scope for more users to be accommodated and possibly for a wider range of needs to be accommodated also.

 

Contrary to information released by the Trust, we are not private users. We have all been referred to the pool by hospital consultants, physiotherapists, and doctors.  Many of us are awaiting or recovering from surgical procedures and it is vital that we obtain and keep body strength to avoid damage from falls. Others have long-term conditions which can involve muscle wastage or persistent pain. Hydrotherapy assists all of these conditions. It needs to be provided in a warm pool under medical supervision.  Because after three sessions we are asked to contribute to the cost does not make us private users.  My consultant told me that I was ‘still acute’ after a year of therapy.  When we go to an NHS dentist we fill out a form and are asked for a financial contribution. This does not make us ‘private users’ who it seems that according to the CEO of the trust, do not matter and have no relevant needs.

 

The possibility of the pool being run by a private or charitable provider has not been explored at all by the hospital trust, who say that this would be an ‘inappropriate use’ of a facility for NHS patients.  However, the Aspire Leisure Centre with its specialist pool is located within the grounds of the National Orthopedic Hospital and is run as a charity. [It has been suggested that Northwick Park patients use this pool, but it is not heated to the same temperature and has no physiotherapist led sessions.]  It is also one and a half hours journey from this area by bus and there is no indication that they have the capacity to take-on patients from Northwick Park Hospital. The Royal Orthopedic Hospital in Birmingham has a hydrotherapy facility run for them by a private provider, so there are other examples to explore for a solution in Brent and Harrow. Our pool is open for 22 half hour sessions weekly, totaling eleven hours, so there is scope for more users to be accommodated.

 

 

No consultation has been carried out, and not a single word has been communicated to patients. We first knew about withdrawal of the service by a petition posted on the hospital wall. We have had no letters to say our service is cancelled. Staff who run the facility were told not to talk to us. We gained access to a staff meeting and physiotherapists said no-one had asked them about the affect on their patients. Patients who need this pool feel like we have been treated with contempt by the Hospital trustees.

 

I am sending this as an open letter, because local residents need to know what has happened at Northwick Park Hospital.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Linda in Preston Ward

Patient at Northwick Park Hospital

[Name and address supplied]

 

 

 

*For information:  From Brent council Website.

 

Scrutiny in Brent

Brent's scrutiny function has two scrutiny committees:

·       the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

·       the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee.

Each is composed of 11 elected members (nine from the Labour Group and one member from each opposition group which is consistent with current political balance arrangements). There are a total of 12 scrutiny meetings held during the municipal year, six per committee. This enables an integrated approach within each committee to scrutinise thematic and related policy and service issues. It also gives the opportunity for members to develop expertise across services and hold detailed discussions.

The Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee also participates in the North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee as chair. It is composed of eight voting members from across North West London and one non-voting co-opted member. There are four North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings held during each municipal year.

 

Sufra Summer Garden Party - Saturday 30th August 1pm-4pm

 

Two years ago a video explained how young people created the meanwhile Samovar Space at Wembley Park - soon to be redeveloped

 

Quintain statement on the future of Samovar Space at the foot of the Stadium Steps - hotel or offices planned plus creation of two new public spaces

 

 The current layout - the removed Soundshell in the foreground

 

Quintain have replied this afternoon to my request for information regarding the future of the Samovar Space at the foot of the Wembley Stadium steps. Apparently my earier communication to them went astray.

 

Over the last couple of weeks we have been in contact with Brent Councillors, Planning team, Landsby Residents and our Resident's Team at Quintain Living relating to Plot NW04 and the existing meanwhile uses of Market Square and Samovar Space clarifying the following:

 

To the Landsby Resident's Team:

Together with Brent Council we have a vision for the transformation of Wembley Park that will be delivered in phases. The later plots to be developed have been enlivened in the interim as 'meanwhile uses' with Brent Council's full support. The Samovar Space is a brilliant example of this. Designed with input from local young people and enjoyed by many. 

 

The removal of the soundshell does not signify the closure of any part of Market Square or Samovar Space that will remain for at least the next 12 months. The Soundshell was moved to due to the need to undergo significant repairs and to allow space for upcoming Coldplay concert activations.

 

The 'NW04' site next to Landsby was granted outline planning approval in 2011 and was revised in 2018, and has formed one of our meanwhile plots for development later in the masterplan. 

 

To Brent Council:

 

Samovar Space and Market Square form part of plot NW04 in the Wembley Masterplan.  They are both meantime (temporary) uses of the plot until the building development is brought forward.  Market Square and “Wembley Splay” were primarily built to facilitate a more direct pedestrian connection between Olympic Way and Wembley Park Boulevard around the old Pedway.  Samovar Space was part of a project co-curated with young people in Brent.

 

NW04 has outline planning approval for either a Hotel or Office use and the form and position of the building on the site were approved in 2018*.

 

Designs are currently being prepared by Quintain for a Hotel on the site and it is intended that the Reserved Matters Application (RMA) will be submitted in early 2026.  Engagement with residents and other stakeholders will take place as part of the process before the application is submitted.

 

Recent “construction” activity on site has been related to the various site surveys – topographical, ground investigation etc – that are necessary to inform the design.

 

There have also been quite a few event activities on the site, sometimes related to the various concerts and other events happening in the stadium this summer.

 

It is important to note that The Soundshell, which formed an integral part of Samovar Space, was removed due to the need to undergo significant repairs and to allow space for the upcoming Coldplay concert activations. The removal of the soundshell does not signify the closure of any part of Market Square or Samovar Space which will remain for at least the next calendar year.

 

The approved parameter plans for the NW04 site allow for the creation of two new public spaces.  A combined space that fulfils the functions of Market Square and Samovar Space is created – effectively rotating the space through 90 degrees to sit along the Engineers Way frontage, linking Olympic Way to the Civic Centre and Wembley Park Boulevard.  A second space is created as a “pocket space” that will sit as a terraced area roughly where Wembley Splay is located at present.

 

The Cherry Trees in the southern part of Market Square will be retained and reconfigured as part of the design.  The various elements within Samovar Space were designed to be relocated and we will be reusing the structures where possible or donating them to local community groups, charities etc where this isn't feasible?

 

The overall construction process will be described in the construction method statement.  There will be further liaison over the construction arrangements as has been the case for all of the plots constructed at Wembley Park.

*Planning reference 2018/0968 LINK

Former Palace of Arts and Industry, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9
Proposal	Minor Material Amendment to vary Condition 4 (Approved Drawings) of planning permission reference 14/3054 (dated 21 October 2014) for an outline application for the demolition of existing buildings and redevelopment of the site to provide up to 160,000sqm of mixed use floorspace. (See previous application record for full description of development). The minor material changes sought are to create a new south facing public square fronting Engineers Way, to increase the height of the previously approved main building from 88.5m to 100m AOD, the reduction of the length of the previously approved block plan, changes to the massing of the previously approved building form, the creation of a collonaded single storey pavillion building along Olympic Way, increased basement level, and the provision of pedestrian and public realm improvements, and a bridge link to Brent Civic Centre.
Status	Approved.

 Images from that application:

 

The alternatives from an early PowerPoint presentation:

 

 

Wembley Park residents encounter wall of silence over plans for the Samovar Space following sound shell removal and surveyor activity

 

Wembley Park visitors and residents of Wembley Park will be familiar with the Samovar Open Space with its concert shell and play area at the foor of the stadium steps. This is what Brent Council wrote about it:

Seen & Heard and the Apprenticeship gave young people aged 16-24 a voice in the design and management of their local public spaces at Wembley Park.The outcome includes Samovar Space, a purpose-built area at the foot of the Olympic Steps and Wembley Stadium, designed for and by young people as part of the Apprenticeship in City Design.

Samovar Space is an inclusive space designed for and by young. The aim was to design a place to ‘just be’. It features dining, shelter and collaborative areas, including a purpose-built platform that will play host to events for young people throughout the year.

The engagement with young people sustained over four years and sees young adults aged 16-24, who are often overlooked by conventional development and planning, working with architects and developers to co-create spaces and places that are welcoming for them. 

 This is the space now following removal of the concert shell;

 

Now Wembley Park residents are protesting that they have neither been seen nor heard over potential redevelopment of the site butare suspicious after seeing surveying work in progress:

It seems as though Quintain have decided that they are going to exercise their old planning permission for the NW04 site right next to Wembley Library, which will result in the destruction of the Market Square and Samovar Space community spaces.

The sound shell bandstand was removed from the Samovar Space, ironically during the night after Wembley Park’s recent Coldplay community event, held in the sound shell. Wembley Park and Quintain celebrated the event and the community space on social media that evening, though didn’t mention in those posts that right after the event they were dismantling the sound shell.

They aren’t being open with the local community or with existing or new renters in their Landsby East building (which is directly next to the construction) as to what their plans are, or that a major construction site will be appearing next door.

The planning permission was granted many years ago, before there was anything in the area, but now there is a significant local population with large residential buildings all-around, plus the space between Wembley Library and Olympic Way has become a vibrant and much used community space that is also useful for Wembley Stadium events (the old Silver Car Park space is often used for merch areas or fan zones).

It sounds as though they are planning to construct a mixed-use office or hotel in the space, with a small and uninspiring paved square as a concession to Brent Council. This in no way replaces the trees in Market Square or the multifunctional space that exists currently.

It’s hugely disappointing that local residents are a) not being given any sort of consultation opportunity and b) Quintain are not being transparent and pro-active about informing the community of what is going on.

 A resident spotted the sound shell dumped in the nearby Union Park:

 The public space was the result of Brent Council reaching an agreement with Quintain not to build on NW04 in order to provide a public space beside the Civic Centre. This was part  of the £17.8m CIL money that Brent Council paid Quintain for Olympic Way improvements, including the demolition of the pedway and installation of the stadium steps.

 

 The NW04 site in context

Extract from Cabinet Report 24th July 2017:

Cabinet approve a contribution of up to £17.8 million towards the delivery of the Olympic Way Zones B and C.

2.2 That such a contribution would be contingent on Quintain:

a) Not pursuing development of site NW04 adjacent to the Civic Centre to the extent currently permitted in the parameters plans associated with outline planning permission 10/3032

b) Working with the Council to deliver a development that better complements the role and setting of the Civic Centre, in particular creating a significant new square outside the Civic Centre Library

c) Agreeing a business plan and heads of terms, between Quintain and the council, for the future sharing and reinvestment of net income generated through assets on Olympic Way.

 Apart from the Samovar Open Space, trees and the orange seating area the space outside the Civic Centre has also been used for market stalls:

 Interestingly what appeared to be future plans for the space appeared on the website of Flanagan Lawrence, leading Wembley Park architects,   https://www.flanaganlawrence.com/nw04   but the page was taken down, perhaps as a result of residents asking questions.

I am still waiting for answers to my enquiries of a week ago about future use of the site from Quintain and Brent Planning and have tried again today. Residents also report a wall of silence:

Several residents have shared that they've since also reached-out to Brent Council (the two Wembley Park Councillors and also Cllr. Butt) and have equally had radio silence. One said they asked Wembley Park's event manager, who also evaded answering the question. 

 

Another said they had reached-out to Quintain Living's head of operations for clarity seeing as they had just signed a 12 month contract in the Landsby East building and no-one mentioned anything about future construction work, again, radio silence.

 

It seems as though they are trying to do 'something' with the site, but for whatever reason do not want the community to know any details...

 

 

 

 

BE AWARE: Brent Local Plan Review coming up - this will affect your community, your area and perhaps even your home

 

Image from the 2019-2041 Brent Local Plan

Admittedly a consultation about the Brent Local Plan isn't likely to cause a huge amount of excitement but lack of engagement with an upcoming Review that will be discussed at next Tuesday's Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee could cost residents dear.

The 2019-2041 Plan, spearheaded by Cllr Shama Tatler, shaped planning decisions based on support for tall buildings, densification, intensification corridors and the designation of eight Growth Areas. This is transforming our borough. 

The proposal is for a Full Review covering all areas of the Plan rather than a few areas as some other councils are undertaking. LINK  Bold emphasis is mine.

The current Plan is immense and contains proposals for sites across the borough but current conditions and changes in planning laws mean a review is necessary:

     The principal rationale for review is to embrace the need to plan longer term to meet the needs of a growing population to at least 2046 and possibly beyond. The largest priority is to ensure housing delivery can be sustained at high levels in the future. This requires identifying sites well in advance of when they are needed. Due to the complicated nature of future opportunities (the need to parcel up sites that currently include individual homes) this could well be longer than was needed in the past. Large single ownership sites such as Grand Union in Alperton are getting rarer. Sites are more likely to be like 1-22 Brook Avenue allocated in 2011, having publicly been identified 3 years earlier in the draft plan; this only had a comprehensive planning application submitted in 2023 (15 years after first being identified) and it is understood that full site ownership has still not yet been achieved by the applicant. 

Brook Avenue is the road next to Wembley Park station where the developer pressured owners of the suburban houses to sell up to enable a developer to build tower blocks. If they failed to agree the Council would consider compulsory purchase to enable the development to go ahead – it was in the Local Plan. It appears one at east owner is holding out.

 

The paper going to the Committee implies predicts there may be more such proposals:

 

To date much of the population of Brent has accepted the ambitious levels of development that the last Local Plan promoted. The next Local Plan may wellhave to deal with accommodating more development amongst suburban housing, most of which will be in good condition and privately owner occupied.

As well as potentially affecting more people’s homes, it could more likely to result in more areas having more substantial changes in character compared to currently. This may well increase the amount of objection and challenge to the plan from Brent residents or community groups. This could again slow down the plan’s delivery, requiring further levels of engagement and revision to plancontent or policy direction.

 

You have been warned. Look up your area/address on the current Local Plan and you may well be surprised/shocked by what you find. LINK

 

Another reason for review is that the Council has been unable to meet its targets due to the current economic and labour supply situation, and new safety regulations:

 

Brent’s delivery [of housing] prior to 23/24 was excellent. In the 3 financial years to 22/23 Brent delivered the equivalent of 8136 net additional dwellings Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) official figures. This represented 131% of its target against the Housing Delivery Test (HDT). Delivery in 23/24 was however very weak at 656 net dwellings. This is not yet reflected in the latest MHCLG HDT figures but represents only 28% of the 2,325 annual minimum target. Completions for 24/25 have not been finalised but are likely to be well below the target. Lack of planning permissions are not what is holding back delivery. The latest GLA datahub information indicates that as of 31st March 2024, 16,985 dwellings had permission but had not been completed. It is other factors including viability, construction capacity, the contraction of the private sales market, investor caution and building safety regulator sign-off (for buildings 6 or more storeys) that are having the biggest slowdown impact.

  

We know that a higher proportion of private housing is likely on South Kilburn due to these factors and that there is a slowdown in the already limited building of new council homes – the only truly affordable option for most Brent residents. Remember that the definition of ‘affordable’ is often 80% of the market rate and these targets are not being met:

 

In respect of other Local Plan housing objectives, the amount/ percentage of affordable housing, when compared to overall housing delivery, is below the 35% London Plan fast track route target and significantly below the 50% strategic Local Plan target. In 23/24 19.7% of the homes that were completed in the borough were affordable, and 26.7% of the homes that were approved that year were affordable. For 23/24 homes delivered which were subject to an affordable housing S106 obligation, the percentage delivered was 44%.

 

Given the number of families on the Council list, and the Council’s policy to persuade them to move into private accommodation outside of the borough, the policy for more family-sized homes has also failed:

 

The Local Plan has a target of 1 in every new 4 (25%) homes requiring permission being 3 or more bedrooms. In 23/24 delivery was below this at 12.2%. Delivery of this target is impacted by small scale schemes that might be for three of less dwellings, thus not required to provide a three-bed home; on larger schemes, there is often a trade-off reflecting the viability considerations. 3+ bedroom schemes do not attain the same values (per square metre) as properties with 1 or 2 bedrooms, thus requiring the 25% affects development viability and can reduce the number of affordable homes that can be delivered. 

 

If there are to be more smaller developments in future these also have their drawbacks:

 

For minor developments, the range of policies that apply are fewer, in part reflective of the Government’s position that to support the small builders’ sector there should be lower costs/ simpler processes. In addition, many of the homes in this sector in Brent are delivered via conversions of existing homes (e.g. conversions of houses to flats). These factors can bring compromises that might not be applicable in larger schemes, e.g. no lifts, inability to provide outdoor amenity space for upper floor dwellings, encouragement to attain higher energy efficiency/ renewables, rather than requirement, etc.

Although officers try to reassure, there are also issues when builders try to reduce costs:

 

The Council ensures that the quality of the affordable homes is consistent with that delivered for private homes. Applicants know that the Council will not accept obvious lower standards or development that is not tenure blind particularly in terms of outward appearance and location. There however, may be subtle differences, (e.g. communal facilities such as size of lobbies, corridor finishes, incorporation of soft furnishings, gym facilities) as registered providers seek to reduce on-going service charges to occupants.

 

Officers outline other areas of the Local Plan where it is likely that changes will be needed;

In respect of the topic area policies sections changes are likely to be required to reflect recent and proposed trends, e.g. during and post Covid the move towards on-line trading will mean some retail uses are diminishing, meaning town centres are at greater risk of contraction, whilst hospitality uses are also struggling, with existing numbers of pubs proving difficult to maintain as viable. The Council will need to review its viability tests/ periods of vacancy that are acceptable to ensure its not unnecessarily maintaining property vacancies. Review of the borough’s green spaces indicates an inconsistency in categorisation and levels of protection provided for those not identified. These will need a detailed review and amended policy. The affordable workspace policy will need review to apply it to a lower size threshold of development. It was subject to change during the last examination by the Inspectors as it received objections, which the Council was not allowed to address properly due to submission of additional viability being inadmissible. The amount and concentration of student housing has also become a more pronounced concern for councillors and the Plan will consider how to best address this, balancing up London’s strategic student housing needs against Brent’s housing priorities including very high affordable housing needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help the talented and inspiring Brent Mencap AllStars record their first album of original songs

 

 

From Brent Mencap

 

We are AllStars – a band of singers with learning disabilities and/or autism, turning our stories into music that speaks to everyone.

​

We’ve written 11 powerful original songs about love, friendship, fears, and dreams – the same hopes and feelings we all share. Now we’re ready to release our first album and bring it to life with a live performance! But to make this dream shine, we need your help. 

We already have £2,300, but we need £1,500 more to:

• Professionally mix and master our tracks

• Hire a rehearsal space

• Host our album launch with a live show

 

By supporting us, you’ll not only hear amazing music – you’ll also highlight how talented and capable people with learning disabilities are. Together, we can inspire other people with a Learning Disability across the UK to share their talents too.

​

Be part of the dream. Help us light up the stage.

And donate on our Just Giving page to make it real.

 

At Brent Civic Centre

Our Music Artists

 The Power of Music: Our Singing Groups

At Brent Mencap, music is more than just a pastime — it’s a powerful tool for connection, self-expression, and joy. We currently run two singing groups:

• One is open to anyone who simply loves to sing, whether you're a shower-singer or stage-ready star!

• The other is something truly special...it's Mencap AllStars!

​

Meet the Mencap AllStars

Our Mencap AllStars have been on an incredible musical journey. With guidance from Milly, a professional singer-songwriter, the group has been writing and composing their own original songs — songs that tell stories of life, personal experience, friendship, and shared human emotions. Their music is honest, heartfelt, and deeply moving. With the amazing support of our neighbours at BBMC Music Studio, the AllStars have been recording their tracks professionally. The next step? Turning their dream into reality!

​

The Vision: An Original Album

We are currently applying for Arts Council funding to support the production of a full 12-track album — featuring one original song from each group member.

But this project is about more than just the music:

• The group will design the album artwork in collaboration with our art group

• They plan to launch the album with a live band performance

• And they want to take the lead on promoting and sharing their music with the world

​

This is their voice. Their stories. Their creativity. And we can’t wait to help them bring it all to life! 

 

Stay tuned for more updates — and get ready to hear something truly extraordinary!​