194 and counting objections to 'exploitative and inappropriate' application to turn former Santander Bank in Kilburn High Road into an Adult Gaming Centre

 

Former Santander Bank 131-135 Kilburn High Road, corner of Victoria Road, opposite McDonalds

 

At the time of publication there have been 194 objections to the conversion of the basement and ground floor of the former Santander Bank at 131-135 Kilburn High Road to an Adult Gaming Centre. 

Although the above notice gives tomorrow as the expiration date for Neighbourhood Consultation, in practice comments can be submitted up to the day before the Committee Date. This has not yet been fixed.

Details of the application and comment portal can be found HERE.

A selection of the objections that include One Kilburn and BRATS can be found below:

 

 

We are formally objecting to the proposed Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) at 82 Kilburn High Road. This application is unsuitable for the area and fails to meet the requirements of the Brent Local Plan (Policy BE5 and DMP1) regarding the safety and vitality of our high streets.



Our objection is based on the following material planning grounds:



1. Risk to Sensitive Educational Uses

The site is a primary thoroughfare for families and children attending the high density of educational facilities in the immediate vicinity, including:

- Primary Schools: Kilburn Grange School, St Mary's C of E Primary, and St Eugene de Mazenod Primary.

- Nurseries: Busy Bees Nursery and Learning Tree Nursery.

- Community Amenities: Kilburn Grange Park.



The introduction of an AGC here would lead to the unacceptable normalization of gambling for hundreds of local children. Permitting a high-stakes gaming environment in such close proximity to five early-years and primary providers is a significant safeguarding risk that contradicts the NPPF goal of promoting healthy and safe communities.



2. Over-concentration of Gambling Establishments

Kilburn High Road is already saturated with adult gaming venues. There are already two Game Nation outlets in the immediate vicinity (89 and 108 Kilburn High Road), as well as Merkur Slots (130 Kilburn High Road).

- Policy BE5 Breach: Adding another unit at number 82 would lead to a clustering of gambling uses that exceeds the 3% frontage limit set by Brent Council.

- Harm to Retail: This over-concentration undermines retail diversity and discourages the family-oriented businesses that the local community actually needs.



3. Failure to Support High Street Vitality

The proposal does not contribute to the "vibrancy" of the High Road:

- Dead Frontage: AGCs rely on obscured windows and heavy branding, creating a "dead zone" on the street that reduces natural surveillance and active footfall.

- Precedent for Refusal: we draw the council's attention to the recent refusal of a near-identical application by the applicant, Sunni-Ed Limited, at Staines High Street (Spelthorne Council, Nov 2025). In that case, the committee determined that such uses provide no community value and fail to enhance the daytime economy of major town centres.



4. Public Safety and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)

Kilburn High Road already faces significant challenges with loitering and street-based ASB. Adding a late-night gaming use at this specific location will exacerbate these issues, creating an intimidating atmosphere for parents and residents during the school run. The "fear of crime" is a material planning consideration that warrants the refusal of this application.



This proposal offers no benefit to the community and poses a clear risk to the welfare of local children. We strongly urge the Council to refuse this application.

………………..

 

I am the Co-chair of the One Kilburn coordinating group and am writing on behalf of One Kilburn to challenge the planning application for an adult gaming centre in Kilburn on multiple grounds, with particular emphasis on breaching the Local Plan and on the serious public health consequences of introducing additional gambling facilities in an already vulnerable community. Founded in 2022, One Kilburn is a community-led initiative which provides a space where Kilburn people can meet, connect and make common ground. It seeks to foster a community, place and belonging in Kilburn, across the municipal boundaries which have historically split Kilburn across three London boroughs. We therefore have a strong interest in issues affecting the vitality of the High Road.
 

Breaching the Local Plan



Policy BE5 of the Brent Local Plan 2019-2041 specifically aims to prevent an over-concentration of betting shops and adult gaming centres and to protect the vitality and retail function of town centres. Crucially, one of its provisions states that adult gaming centres will only be permitted where they would not result in more than 3% of the town centre frontage consisting of adult gaming centres or pawnbrokers, or payday loan shops. By our rough estimate, the town centre frontage on the Brent side of the High Road is around 1,400m; it follows that 3% of that amounts to 42m. The site plans for this proposal suggest that the frontage of the establishment would be nearly 40m (on both the High Road and Victoria Road, since the premises are located on a corner). Given the current existence of other adult gaming centres on the Brent side of the High Road, we believe that this proposal would breach the 3% threshold and should be rejected on those grounds, in addition to what we argue below. Furthermore, as a high-profile corner site, it should anchor the high street. Instead, an adult gaming centre creates a dead frontage which doesn't support Kilburn's recovery. It offers no active engagement with the streetscape, directly undermining Policy BE5's objective to protect the retail function of town centres.



Public Health Crisis in Brent



The evidence of gambling-related harm in Brent is stark and unequivocal. According to the Brent Joint Strategic Needs Assessment on Gambling, the borough has one of the highest concentrations of gambling premises in London, with 81 licensed venues already operating. Most alarmingly, 6.2 percent of Brent residents are classified as high-risk gamblers-more than double the national average of 2.9 percent. This represents a public health crisis that would only be exacerbated by permitting additional gambling facilities.



The economic burden of this gambling epidemic is substantial and growing. The estimated cost of gambling-related harm in Brent has increased sevenfold to £14.3 million annually, placing immense pressure on public services including health care, social services, and community support systems. These costs are ultimately borne by taxpayers and divert resources from other essential services. Under the Equality Act, Brent Council must also consider its Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). With 6.2 percent of Brent residents who are classified as high-risk gamblers-is more than double the national average. These vulnerable protected groups in a gambling density area are impacted disproportionately and are already at a heightened risk of financial exclusion and mental health crisis.



Targeting Vulnerable Communities



National and local evidence demonstrates that adult gaming centres systematically target areas of socioeconomic disadvantage. The High Streets at Stake report reveals that 33% of adult gaming centres are located in the most deprived 10%t of neighbourhoods nationally, with over half serving the most deprived 20%. Kilburn fits this vulnerable profile precisely, with high levels of private renting, overcrowding, and a younger working-age population that research consistently identifies as being more exposed to gambling harms.



The physical availability and visibility of gambling venues is a proven driver of harm. By introducing an additional adult gaming centre in Kilburn, this proposal would increase exposure to gambling, normalise harmful behaviours, and elevate risk levels in a community already experiencing rates of problem gambling at twice the national average. While the applicant may claim to contribute to the local economy, these venues offer little or minimal employment with no community benefit. This targeting is a form of corporate extraction where significant public health costs (estimated at £14.3 million annually in Brent), wil have to be managed by local authorities and health services.



Exacerbating Existing Problems



Kilburn High Road already contains a dense concentration of betting shops, gambling-adjacent uses, and late-night premises. The proposed site sits opposite a 24-hour McDonald's, creating conditions that would intensify late-night congregation, loitering, and associated anti-social behaviour. The cumulative impact of this proposal cannot be ignored. It will create an environment that residents have consistently reported as being associated with crime, exploitation of vulnerable people, and general deterioration of community wellbeing. By placing another gambling venue directly opposite a fast-food outlet (McDonald's), the application creates a hotspot for loitering. This creates a perceived lack of safety that discourages other residents and families from using the High Road, thus damaging the evening economy and undermining the diverse and resilient vision set out in the Kilburn Neighbourhood Plan.



Adult gaming centres offer minimal local employment, no genuine community benefit, and actively undermine the pride and vitality of high streets that residents desperately want to see improved. They are inward-facing and represent single-purpose uses that do not provide an active frontage or support browsing and linked trips. Moreover, a further gaming centre on the High Road would go against the spirit of the Kilburn Neighbourhood Plan, recently approved through a referendum of local residents.



Conclusion



The planning and health evidence is clear. This speculative proposal clearly breaches Policy BE5 of the Brent Local Plan and should be refused. At a time when local authorities are campaigning to tackle gambling harms, this application moves Kilburn in the opposite direction. It breaches frontage thresholds, threatens public health, and contradicts the community-led vision for a healthier, more vibrant Kilburn High Road. We urge the Council to protect Kilburn community's physical, mental, and economic well-being by rejecting this application.

 

……........

Proposal: Change of use of basement and ground floor from vacant bank to Adult Gaming Centre

This proposal represents the antithesis of the kind of development and meaningful progress that residents in both Brent and Camden want to see. At a time when both Brent and Camden Council are actively campaigning to tackle gambling harms, rebuild pride in our high streets and support healthier town centres, this application would take Kilburn in precisely the opposite direction. It would introduce a use that extracts value from the community, generates well evidenced public health and anti-social behaviour impacts, and gives little back in return.

I primarily object to this application on planning grounds. In doing so, I also make clear that the proposal raises material considerations relating to public health and the effective operation of the council's licensing regime, all of which are supported by adopted policy and robust local evidence and should therefore be afforded significant weight.

1. Planning impacts in Kilburn and conflict with the Brent Local Plan

The site sits within a designated town centre frontage on Kilburn High Road, a corridor already under intense pressure from deprivation, high footfall, late night activity and a concentration of nonretail uses. Kilburn experiences high levels of private renting, overcrowding, and a younger working age population that Brent Council's own evidence identifies as being more exposed to gambling related harm.

Against that context, Policy BE5 of the Brent Local Plan 2019-2041 is directly engaged. Policy BE5 exists specifically to prevent over concentration of betting shops and adult gaming centres and to protect the vitality and retail function of town centres. It states that betting shops and adult gaming centres will only be permitted where they would not result in:

- more than 3 percent of the town centre frontage consisting of adult gaming centres or pawnbrokers or payday loan shops

- more than 1 unit or 10 percent of a neighbourhood parade frontage, whichever is greater, consisting of betting shops, adult gaming centres or pawnbrokers or payday loan shops

- a dominance of single use, low diversity frontages that undermine the retail role of town centres

The justification to Policy BE5 is explicit that these controls are necessary to protect health, social and cultural wellbeing, and to prevent harmful clustering in areas already experiencing disadvantage.

Kilburn High Road already contains a dense mix of betting, gambling adjacent uses, money transfer outlets and late-night food premises. This proposal would sit directly opposite a 24-hour McDonald's, intensifying late night footfall, congregation and loitering, and compounding cumulative impacts associated with noise, disturbance and anti-social behaviour. These are not hypothetical concerns but well understood dynamics in this location.

Adult gaming centres are inherently inward facing uses. They do not support linked trips, they do not meaningfully activate the street during the day, and they do not contribute to a diverse or resilient retail offer. Replacing a former bank with an adult gaming centre would therefore further erode the balance of uses on Kilburn High Road, contrary to both the wording and intent of Policy BE5 and the wider town centre objectives of the Local Plan.

2. Public health impacts

Public health is a material planning consideration where supported by local evidence, and in Brent that evidence is unequivocal.

The Brent Joint Strategic Needs Assessment on Gambling identifies Brent as having one of the highest concentrations of gambling premises in London, with 81 licensed premises, and rates of high-risk gambling more than double the national average. In Brent, 6.2 percent of residents are classified as high-risk gamblers, compared with 2.9 percent nationally. Low risk gambling is also significantly higher, meaning a far larger group exposed to harm.

The JSNA shows that gambling premises are disproportionately clustered in wards such as Kilburn, and that the physical availability and visibility of gambling venues is a key driver of harm. The estimated economic cost of gambling related harm in Brent has risen sevenfold to £14.3 million per year, placing further pressure on public services.

Kilburn's demographic profile makes it particularly vulnerable. The ward has high levels of private renting, overcrowding, younger working age residents, and communities that national and local evidence consistently show are more exposed to gambling harms. Introducing an additional adult gaming centre in this location would increase exposure, normalisation and risk, directly undermining the council's preventative public health objectives.

3. Undermining the council's licensing framework

Although licensing is determined separately, planning decisions must not undermine the effective operation of the council's adopted regulatory framework.

Brent's Statement of Licensing Policy 2025-2030 makes clear that the council seeks 'alignment between planning and licensing', particularly where proposals risk increasing crime, disorder and harm to vulnerable people. Granting planning permission here would materially frustrate that objective by enabling further clustering of gambling uses in a location already identified as sensitive and high risk.

Once planning permission is granted, the council's ability to manage impacts through licensing is significantly constrained by the permissive national regime. That is precisely why planning judgement at this stage is so important.

4. High streets, cumulative harm and the wider evidence base

The High Streets at Stake report by the Social Market Foundation and sponsored by Brent Council provides a compelling national and local evidence base on adult gaming centres. It finds that:

- the number of adult gaming centres increased by 7 percent between 2022 and 2024

- 33 percent of adult gaming centres are located in the most deprived 10 percent of neighbourhoods, and over half serve the most deprived 20 percent

- gross gambling yield from higher risk machines has almost doubled since 2022

- residents consistently report associations with crime, anti social behaviour and exploitation of vulnerable people

The report identifies locations in Brent as being systematically targeted because of high footfall, transport connectivity and socio economic vulnerability. This application fits that pattern precisely.

Adult gaming centres are the textbook definition of corporate extraction. They generate private profit while exporting public health costs to councils, health services and communities. They offer little local employment, no community value, and actively remove pride from high streets that residents want to see improved, not hollowed out.

Summary

This application should be seen for what it is: a speculative proposal in a vulnerable location, relying on a permissive national regime, offering no meaningful contribution to Kilburn's future, and running directly counter to adopted planning policy, public health evidence and the council's wider campaign to tackle gambling harms.

It is also notable that the applicant, SUNNI ED LIMITED, is part of a pattern of serial applications around the country, often supported by the same agent, testing the limits of local resistance. The same applicant has recently had a planning application refused in Spelthorne, which raises further concerns about the approach being taken and the absence of any genuine local commitment.

At present, there is no clarity about who the eventual operator would be, reinforcing the concern that this is a faceless, footloose proposal with no accountability to the community it would affect.

Taken together, the planning harm, the public health impacts, the risk of increased anti-social behaviour, and the undermining of local policy are clear. This proposal fails to meet the test of good planning and should be refused before it puts residents in Brent at avoidable risks of harm.

 

……........

 

I and my neighbours in the BRAT Residents' Association catchment area strongly oppose this planning application which is at odds with every aspiration set out in the newly endorsed Kilburn Neighbourhood plan. The arrival of another Adult Gaming Centre in these large and prominent premises will overshadow all the good work underway to try to improve Kilburn High Road and make it a vibrant and appealing retail town centre and community hub. Its presence will also overshadow improvements at Kilburn Sq retail and undoubtedly deter more quality appropriate retailers too. Also no account terms to have been taken of the proliferation of gambling and gaming on Kilburn High Rd. For example there are several Betting shops and a Mercure Slots very nearby already on the same High Road and the concentration will become totally inappropriate with another such large centre. This may be partly to do with Kilburn High Road being under the jurisdiction of both LB Camden and Brent so it appears that gaming premises are in different Boroughs when in fact they are in close proximity on the same street. The local population is strongly against Kilburn becoming a gaming and gambling dominated centre - our population is already under pressure and working hard to improve. Why then insert a large enterprise designed to exploit poverty and deprivation through gaming?. This is totally at odds with the democratically endorsed local Plan. Please re-think the approach and work with the local population to find a more appropriate use for this important and prominent site. The local Town Centre Manager is working hard to create an improved environment and offer on Kilburn High Riad. Last week I was part of a local group welcoming the planting of x6 new trees to the street and many elements are scheduled for or have already benefited from improvement. A large Gaming Centre will undermine this investment and dilute this good work. Please do not neglect z Kilburn and its population further by enabling such exploitative and inappropriate businesses to proliferate on our High Road.

 

Brent Planning Committee approves Adult Gaming Centre for former Lloyds Bank in Willesden Green

 Readers may remember that having gained planning permission for a 'Bingo Hall' at the former Llouds Bank on the corner of High Road and Walm Lane, Willesden Green, the applicant came back with a new application to turn the former bank premises into an Adult Gaming Centre. LINK

Yesterday's diminished Planning Committee approved the application by 4 votes to one. 

Cllr Matt Kelcher, the Committee Chair advised that due to his publicly stated position against the provision of gambling establishments within the borough and to avoid any allegations of bias or pre-determination he would recluse himself. Councillor Johnson had declared a personal disclosable interest and therefore withdrew from the meeting for the consideration of that item.

 

The possibility of reducing the hours to an 10pm closure, that than the 'night time economy' 11pm limit was discussed but not adopted. 

 

Cllr Dixon was the lone voice against on grounds of the opposition from locoal residents, mpact on a conservation area, not contributing to the vibrancy of the high street and a failure to provide healthy streets amongst others.

 

56 residents had made submission against the application and Dawn Butler MP (Brent East) made a late intervention that necessitated a Supplementary Report. Butler has raised the issue of the impact on vulnerable Brent residents of so many gambling joints, in the House of Commons.

 

Officers were rather dismissive:

 

One further representation with comments has been received raising objection to the proposed development. The objections are from Dawn Butler MP (Labour Member of Parliament for Brent East). The comments that have been raised broadly correspond to those already received and addressed within the Consultations section of the Committee Report. The comments raised refer to existing gambling problems and impacts within the borough. It is suggested that limited information pertaining to the building has been provided, however it is considered that sufficient information has been submitted in line with the Council’s Validation requirements for the purpose of planning assessment.

 

Finally, the concluding objection is directed to the ‘Licencing Authority’. In response, Licencing is an independent department to Planning within the Council. As well as seeking planning permission the applicant would be required to obtain the relevant licences to operate as an Adult Gaming Centre. An informative to this effect would be included within the Decision Notice.

 

So next stop is Brent Licensing Committee. 

 

Opposition builds to Willesden Green Adult Gaming Centre

Oppositon is building to the new application to convert the Lloyd's Bank buidling at 1 Walm Lane, Willesden Green into an Adult Gaming Centre. See Wembley Matters story HERE.

Cllr Saqlain Choudry took to Next Door to urge local residents to object:

Willesden Green does not need another gambling establishment or betting premise. I strongly object to the proposed adult gaming centre (formerly Lloyds bank). Our community deserves investment in spaces that promote positive activities for all ages — not venues that could encourage addiction. Please make your voices heard and comment by emailing the planning department at Brent Council or commenting on the planning application portal. LINK

The letter asks the council Planning Department to reject the application rather than councillor members of the Planning Committee,

 

Another ward councillor writes;

 I strongly object to this proposal.

There would be five gambling premises in a short stretch of road - 2 Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, the new site, and the current adult gaming centre.

This is too much and the combined effect is hollowing out our High Street.

As a local Councillor I am profoundly concerned by this.

I am even more concerned that this application turns a bingo hall into an adult gaming centre. The lack of change to he floor plan shows that the initial application was made on a morally fraudulent basis, and insult to the integrity of the committee and its members.

Adult gaming centres replace social gambling with highly individualised and algorithmically driven forms of gambling, which seek to spur addiction and take advantage of vulnerable clients. It allows higher stakes than bingo, and because of the non-social nature increases the risk of localised antisocial behaviour, directly outside the site of two recent ASB related stabbings.

This application should not be looked upon kindly and should not be allowed to proceed. The committee should do everything in its legal powers to prevent its progress.

Many thanks to those who will consider this objection. I would encourage them to also take into account the volume of feeling against this from local residents.

 

In all so far there are  37 objections (one is wrongly classified as 'Supports'). This objection may strike a chord with many residents:

 I am writing as a local resident to strongly object to the proposed conversion of the former bank premises in Willesden Green into a casino or bingo hall. As a young woman living nearby, I am deeply concerned about the implications this type of venue will have on the safety, wellbeing, and character of our community.

Over the past few months, I have already noticed a troubling rise in antisocial behaviour in the area. There has been an observable increase in public drunkenness, drug use, and drug dealing in and around Willesden Green, including on my own street. This has made me-and many others-feel significantly less safe walking alone, particularly at night. I have experienced and witnessed incidents of sexual harassment in broad daylight, and these occurrences are becoming more frequent. The addition of a gambling venue with late-night operating hours will only exacerbate these issues.

Casinos and similar gambling establishments are well-documented in their association with increased rates of crime and antisocial behaviour. Numerous studies and case histories from other parts of the UK indicate that areas surrounding such venues often see spikes in petty crime, drug-related offences, loitering, and harassment. This type of environment poses a very real threat to residents, especially women and young people. I already avoid walking alone past certain areas in the evening-bringing in a venue that typically attracts intoxicated and vulnerable individuals late into the night will only make this worse.

Beyond safety, the proposed development raises major concerns about the character and future of Willesden Green. Our area is home to a vibrant and diverse community of families, small business owners, elderly residents, and working professionals. What Willesden Green needs are services and spaces that support this community: affordable housing, youth services, libraries, childcare, green spaces, and accessible cultural or educational venues. A gambling outlet offers none of this. Instead, it threatens to erode the fabric of our high street, attracting predatory business models and potentially displacing more beneficial local services.

Moreover, venues like casinos and bingo halls often prey on the most economically vulnerable in society. In a borough like Brent, where many residents are already living with financial precarity, allowing a gambling outlet to operate in the heart of Willesden Green sends entirely the wrong message. Rather than investing in social support and community enrichment, it risks fuelling addiction, debt, and mental health problems-all of which ultimately place further pressure on local services, healthcare, and policing.

This proposal also runs counter to the council's stated commitments to equality, public health, and inclusive neighbourhood development. If Brent is serious about building safe, resilient, and inclusive communities, this application should be firmly rejected.

Finally, there is the issue of planning precedent. There is already a similar establishment a few doors away from the proposed new development, as well as numerous similar gambling businesses in Cricklewood. The presence of yet another gambling venue in such a small geographical area may dissuade other, more community-oriented businesses from investing in the area. It could also have a negative impact on nearby property values and the perception of Willesden Green as a welcoming and safe neighbourhood.

In summary, I strongly urge you to reject this application on the following grounds:

- **Increased crime and antisocial behaviour** associated with gambling venues;

- **Public safety concerns**, particularly for women and vulnerable residents;

- **Recent local rise in harassment, drug use, and intoxication** that such a venue will likely worsen;

- **Negative impact on the area's social and economic fabric**, including risks to mental health, wellbeing, and community cohesion;

- **Contradiction of Brent Council's wider social and urban development goals**.

Please act to protect the wellbeing of residents and preserve the integrity of our neighbourhood by rejecting this proposal.

 

Note that if you submit  a comment by email only your address and whether you Object or Support appears on the Planning Portal. If you submit via the portal HERE your full comment appears so enabling other residents to read it.

 

 

Applicant who was granted permission for Bingo Hall at Lloyds Bank site in Willesden Green comes back with an application to make it an Adult Gaming Centre

Brent Planning Committee granted permission for a Bingo Hall at 1 Walm Lane, Willesden Green, previously Lloyds Bank, earlier this year. Some commentators suggested that the innocent title of 'Bingo Hall' hid an intention to make it an adult gaming centre.

 

They were right. Building on that success Barry Cunningham, of Star Commercial Ltd, has submitted an application for an Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) on that site:

The Proposal:

To use the ground floor as an AGC with ancillary facilities in the basement. To retain the street elevation as existing, forming a window display area in place of the ATMs and to install signage as permitted by Class 5 of the Advertisement Regulations. To make internal alterations not being development as defined by S 55 of the principle Act.

 

The proposed opening hours are 8am to 12.30am Monday to Friday,  Saturday 9am-1am and Sunday 9.30am-12.30am.

 

Building work would begin in September this year with comppletion in ugust 2026.

 

There is little public  information available about Star Commercial Ltd. 

 

The ground floor plans for the current AGC and previous Bingo Hall (below) are like one of those 'Spot the Difference' competitions they used to have in children's comics. It makes you wonder about the original intention.

 

 Proposed layout of the Adult Gaming Centre

 Proposed layout of the Bingo Hall

 

Comments on the Application, in support or opposed, can be made on the Brent Planning Portal HERE.

Harlesden and Kensal Green councillors pledge to campaign for a change in the law after approval of Adult Gaming Centre

 Harlesden and Kensal Green Labour councillors have posted a Facebook comment on the approval of another Adult Gaming Centre by Brent Planning Committee.

We continue to stand up for the residents of #Harlesden and #KensalGreen who are fed up with our neighbourhood being targeted by gambling companies. This week Cllr Chan spoke at the Planning Committee in opposition to the application from Silvertime for a new high street casino on Park Parade, and Cllr Kelcher spoke at Licensing Committee in opposition to the application from Merkur for a new bingo site on the High Street. Unfortunately, the law as it currently operates severely limits the ability of Councils to block these facilities, which is why we’re campaign at a national level.

A little local history...

Plans for a Las Vegas style £320m casino and hotel complex for Wembley Park was put forward by Quintain and Caesars Entertainment back in 2004.  Quintain were not happy when it was turned down:

24 August 2006

Developer Quintain is forced to put forward alternative plan following Brent council's decision

The London Borough of Brent has withdrawn its support for a regional casino in the area meaning developer Quintain will have to progress with alternative plans on the proposed site.

Quintain’s joint venture with Caesar’s Entertainment has now lapsed as the developer will need to come up with an alternative plan for the site which is capable of accommodation up to 203,000 sq m of development.

Nick Shattock, Quintain’s deputy chief executive said: “We are not surprised by this turn of events. Of course, we were aware that both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives campaigned on an electoral ticket to stop the regional casino coming to Brent. Obviously, when they formed a joint administration in July, excluding the Labour party members, who had made the application, there was an increasing air on inevitability of this course of action.”

 

 April 2012 

QUINTAIN Estates and Development is confident of winning Government approval to build a new super-casino at Wembley.

Nick Shattock, Quintain's property director, said he was 'OKî with the Government's latest backtracking on the number of large casinos it would allow nationwide, down to eight at the last count.

He said: 'If it is eight there is just a bigger prize to be chased.’

Quintain unveiled plans in October to build a £335 million gambling and leisure resort on land it owns near the new Wembley stadium in a joint venture with Las Vegas casino owner Caesars Entertainment.

The developer would split the cost with Las Vegas casino owner, Caesars Entertainment in a joint venture to transform a 650,000-square-foot site on the land around the stadium owned by Quintain.

The plans for the complex include a 400 room hotel, a casino to house 110 gaming tables and 1,250 slot machines, numerous restaurants, shops and a performance area.

Battle over another Adult Gaming Centre in Harlesden at Planning Committee tonight

 

The premises

The latest chaper in the battle over an additional Adult Gaming  Centre (AGC) in Harlesden takes place at Planning Committee tonight after a number of applications and Planning Inspectorate appeals.

It pits ward councillors and 19 objectors who oppose the application against the recommendation to approve it made by planning officers.

The Harlesden and Kensal Green ward councillors are Mili Patel, who is deputy leader of Brent Council; Matt Kelcher, who is chair of Brent Planning Committee, and Jumbo Chan.

Clearly officers are seeking to avoid yet another appeal by the applicant to the Planning Inspectorate and rely on some changes in the application and its context to recommend approval.

The narrowest one is the proportion of AGC shop fronts in the area which has been reduced by one such shop front coverting to retail.  The quota is 3% and with this application at 5-6 Park Parade comes in at 2.74%.

 The Officers Report states:

In summary, the proposed change of use would not result in an unacceptable over-concentration of Adult Gaming Centres as defined within the Council’s adopted policies, it therefore would not harm the vitality and viability of Harlesden Town Centre. The proposed development is in accordance with to DMP 1 and BE5 of the Brent Local Plan 2019-2041. The principle of development is in accordance with the Council’s policies and the London Plan and therefore is considered acceptable.

 The proposal is now for one Adult Gaming Centre unit in the double fronted shop rather than an AGC plus betting shop as previously. 

The concern over the impact on crime and anti-social behaviourof another AGC preying on a vulnerable population is undermined by the Planning Inspector's findings:

Comments were received raising concern that the use would result in crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour, noting the Police objected to a previous applications. Previous comments from the Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team suggested that adult gaming centres were driver for anti-social behaviour, maps were previously provided showing the location a concentration of anti-social behaviour, violence and drug offences. The comments noted a concentration around the Jubilee Clock and Silvertime gaming centre. The Safer Neighbourhood Teams raised similar concerns with the Appeal Scheme (Appeal Ref:

APP/T5150/W/21/3269557) , a list of offences were submitted and the Inspector was furnished with this.

The Inspector did not support the Local Planning Authorities view in terms of crime, anti-social behaviour and disorder, at paragraph 16 of the Appeal Decision (Appeal Ref: APP/T5150/W/21/3269557) they stated

‘The Council have detailed concerns relating to crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour including comments from local residents and bodies, the Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team and the Metropolitan Police. The Harlesden area is identified as an area of high deprivation with unemployment and homelessness levels generally high. There is no unequivocal link presented to me between these matters and the proposal which would result in a single AGC leading to a harmful effect on crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour in the area.'

 Planning Officers' conclude:

The principle of development is acceptable and would not result in an over concentration of AGCs within Harlesden Town Centre as defined within the council's planning policies or result in harm to the vitality and viability of the town centre. The proposed development is considered to be acceptable in terms of impact to character and appearance of the subject property and the wider streetscene and the development would preserve the character of the Harlesden Conservation Area. The proposed development is not considered to have an adverse impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties.

 

Subject to conditions, the proposed use would be acceptable and not result in harm to the locality and neighbouring occupiers. The proposal is considered to be in general accordance with the development plan having regard to material considerations.

Approval is accordingly recommended.

 

 The full Officers' Report is HERE

The meeting is in the Conference Hall of Brent Civic Centre at 6pm tonight. It is also live streamed HERE.

Brent Planning Officers recommend approval of Harlesden Adult Gaming Centre despite opposition from police and local councillors

 

Tonight's Planning Committee is full of controversial planning applications with Mumbai Junction and Kilburn Square returning to the Agenda (there is a Supplementary Report on Kilburn Square HERE) and are expected to have speakers making the case for refusal of planning permission.

You can watch the meeting live online HERE

Also returning to the Agenda is an application to turn two neglected shops on Park Parade, Harlesden into an Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) and reduced size betting shop.  Objectors cite anti-social behaviour and the presence of other AGC's in the area as reasons for objection. There is the additional moral and public health case against the exploitative nature of gambling joints in poor areas.

The application is unusual in that it is being opposed by local councillors, community organisations and the police:

60 objections were received in total inclusive of objections from Councillors, Harlesden Neighbourhood Forum and Harlesden Area Action Group, the Police Safer Neighbourhood Team and the Salvation Army.

 

The following Councillors objected:

 

Cllr Mili Patel –Harlesden and Kensal Green Ward

Cllr Jumbo Chan – Harlesden and Kensal Green Ward

Cllr Jake Rubin – Roundwood Ward

Cllr Elliot Chappell – Roundwood Ward

Cllr Fleur Donnelly – Jackson – Roundwood Ward

The Police objections are raised in a Supplementary Report that you can read HERE and I post an extract below:

An objection was received from the Met Police Designing Out Crime Officer, noting the following matters:

 

· That the close proximity of the public house (opposite) and off-licences either side and the nearby pawn shop can create a nurturing habitat for street drinking which in turn can increase the risk of antisocial behaviour (ASB);

· That the alleyway to the rear is not well observed and has poor natural surveillance;

· That the main entrance is recessed and provide a concealment opportunity and could be used as a toilet or to take drugs;

· That there is no mention of security in the proposal or a management plan;

· That the proposal indicates that the AGC won’t be staffed and could therefore be exploited by drug dealers or users. They consider that persons should be vetted prior to entry to ensure they are of suitable age and have not been barred;

· That the windows onto the street need to allow for surveillance into and out from the centre.

 

They also highlight that the local policing team raised the following concerns:

 

· That Park Parade has the second highest figures for recorded ASB in the town centre and is a known area where robbery often occurs, and for drug offences (both possession and supply);

· That there are organised gangs of drug dealers in Park Parade taking over and using premises to conduct their activities, and that an unsupervised venue will allow this to happen out of police view;

· That last year, an operation was conducted in the High Street where a betting shop was used by a 20 strong gang to drug deal out of sight;

· That there is a nearby college and school and that their pupils frequent Park Parade on their way to and from the education facility and could be influenced by the venue and its cliental;

· That there is a nightclub and public house opposite;

· That the town centre already has a street drinking problem contributing to ASB , and that the betting shop venues attract street drinkers;

· That there have been 6 Closure Orders in Park Parade relating to premises causing ASB or allowing criminality.

 

The Met Police advise that they have a number of recommendations should the application be granted, including:

· Security rated entrance doors;

· Video and auto intercom at entrance to ensure potential guests are vetted prior to entry;

· Glazing to main façade meets BSEN standards, with a roller shutter fixed to the exterior;

· That the recessed entrances are removed or have shutters or grills to eliminate this overnight;

· That the rear escape doors are alarmed and that they have a sufficient security rating;

· That the walls and doors of any cash room are security rated;

· That any external mailbox meets specific certification levels;

· That CCTV (with complementary lighting) is provided to specific standards and maintained by certified companies;

· That intruder alarms are installed

· That the applicant liaises with the MPS North West Licensing team.

 

Officers' comment:

The matters raised by the Met Police are acknowledged.

You might think the evidence supplied by the police is pretty daming but nevertheless planning officers recommend approval:

Recommendation: That planning permission is granted subject to the conditions set out in the report  and an additional condition requiring formal Secured by Design accreditation prior to first occupation of the units.

 

The premises shall not be used expect between the hours of 0800 hours and 2230 hours Sundays to Thursdays and between 0800 hours and 2300 hours Friday and Saturdays without the written consent of the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: To ensure that the proposed development does not prejudice the enjoyment by neighbouring occupiers of their properties.’