Columbina 14 The Paddocks, Wembley Park
The Paddocks is a road of detached houses with long back gardens, next to the former Brent Town Hall, now the Lycee. It is a hill and the road is quite busy with traffic between the Salmon Street/Fryent Way roundabout and Forty Lane. The 206 bus route runs along the The Paddocks to its terminus on the roundabout serving the Kings Drive Estate.
Columbina, 14 The Paddocks, is a handsome 5 bedroom detached house, with outbuilding and a long back garden near the brow of the hill on the corner with Greenhill Way.
The willow in Greenhill Way
It previously featured on Wembley Matters when a magnificent willow in its back garden was removed after storm damage. There was local speculation that this was done to enable development of the back garden but the Brent Tree Officer confirmed that removal had been advised because of the tree's post-storm instability.
The back garden minus the willow
Plans have been submitted to Brent Council for the demolition of Columbina and its replacement with a 3 storey building of 10 flats.
Present
Proposed
Two semi-detached homes are proposed for the back garden that would front Greenhill Way. Because of the long back gardens there are few houses on Greenhill Way at present.
Proposed
There are currently 25 Objections to the twin development on the Brent Planning Portal LINK and no submissions of Support. The objections are from residents in The Paddocks and Greenhill Way.
Planning Officers will be considering the harm to the area weighed against the benefit of new housing to meet Brent's targets. The applicant claims that a financial viability assessment demonstrates that no affordable housing can be provided if the expected profit is to be maintained (supported by a report with more typos etc than even Wembley Matters articles!) but this is challenged by another assessment - even then it would be an off-site contribution towards affordable housing.
The number of people accommodated in the new development would be many more than in Columbina, even if it is an HMO:
Because Greenhill Way has few houses it has surplus parking spaces, some used by commuters bound for nearby Wembley Park station and even some Brent Council workers as it is a 15 minute walk to the Civic Centre. When parking spaces were removed on the Kings Drive council estate to make way for infill housing, Brent Council suggested using Greenhill Way for resident parking.
The Objections all make similar points. This is one:
I am writing to formally object to planning application 25/0403 for the demolition of the existing dwelling and the erection of a residential development comprising a two-storey building with converted roof space containing 10 self-contained flats, basement-level car parking, cycle storage and 2 dwellinghouses, together with new vehicular access, off-street car parking, associated hard and soft landscaping and boundary treatment.
I strongly object to this proposal for the following reasons.
The proposed development represents a significant overdevelopment of the site. Replacing a single dwelling with a total of 12 residential units would be an excessive intensification of a residential plot and would be completely out of keeping with the character of The Paddocks. The road is predominantly made up of family homes (like my home) and introducing a large block of flats with additional houses to the rear would fundamentally alter the quiet, suburban nature of the street. I am shocked that someone would even consider submitting such a proposal.
The scale, bulk, massing and density of the proposal would not respect the established character of the area. The Paddocks is largely characterised by detached and semi-detached family homes with gardens, and the proposed development would appear cramped and excessive in comparison. A block of 10 flats, together with 2 additional dwellinghouses, would be far more intensive than the existing pattern of development and could set a harmful precedent for similar overdevelopment of single-family homes in The Paddocks and surrounding residential streets.
I am particularly concerned about the impact on traffic and highway safety. The Paddocks is already a busy road, and traffic has become noticeably worse over the years due to Wembley Stadium event days, Wembley Park, the London Designer Outlet and the academy school on Forty Lane. It is already difficult for residents to pull out of their own driveways safely because of the volume of traffic. Adding 12 households to one plot, together with a new vehicular access and basement parking, would create further vehicle movements and increase pressure on an already congested road.
The basement car parking is also a serious concern. Vehicles entering and leaving basement parking can create additional safety risks, particularly where visibility is limited or traffic is heavy. The proposal could result in queuing, reversing, obstruction of the highway, and conflict with pedestrians, cyclists, refuse vehicles and emergency services. The local road network is already under pressure, and this development would worsen the existing situation.
I am also very concerned about the disruption that would be caused during construction if this application were approved. The proposed demolition, excavation for basement parking, construction works, deliveries of materials, skips, scaffolding, machinery and contractor vehicles would be incredibly disruptive for existing residents. The Paddocks is already a busy road, and construction traffic would likely cause further congestion, blocked access, traffic build-up and difficulties for residents entering and leaving their driveways. This would be particularly serious on Wembley Stadium event days and during school traffic periods, when the road is already under significant pressure.
There is also likely to be an unacceptable impact on parking. Even if some parking is provided on site, the number of proposed units is likely to generate additional demand for visitor parking, deliveries, taxis, service vehicles and general household use. Any overspill parking would worsen congestion and place further pressure on residents who already struggle with traffic and parking conditions, especially on Wembley Stadium event days.
The proposal would also have a harmful impact on residential amenity. A development of this size could lead to overlooking, loss of privacy, overshadowing, increased noise and disturbance, light pollution and a general sense of enclosure for nearby residents. The number of new occupiers, vehicles, deliveries and comings and goings would be far greater than the existing single dwelling and would materially change the living conditions of surrounding households.
I am also concerned about the loss of existing garden space and the impact this may have on the character of the area, biodiversity, drainage and the quality of the residential environment. The replacement of garden land with a much more intensive built form, hardstanding, access arrangements and basement construction could reduce natural drainage and add further pressure to local drainage systems.
The proposed basement works raise additional concerns about excavation, construction impact, drainage, groundwater and the potential effect on neighbouring properties. Excavation for basement parking can cause significant disturbance, noise, vibration, dust and disruption to surrounding residents. These matters should be fully and independently assessed before any decision is made.
The local area has already experienced substantial residential intensification and development around Wembley. Local roads, schools, services, drainage and public infrastructure are under growing strain. Allowing this level of intensification on a quiet residential street would add to the cumulative pressure already being experienced by residents.
For the reasons set out above, I respectfully request that Brent Council refuses this application. Should officers be minded to approve it, I request that the application be referred to the Planning Committee for full consideration, with a site visit and a detailed highways assessment taking into account Wembley Stadium event-day traffic, the impact of Wembley Park and the London Designer Outlet, the traffic generated by the school on Forty Lane, parking pressure, basement construction, drainage, landscaping, neighbouring amenity and the character of the area.
Details for anyone who wishes to make a submission Object, Support, or Neutral:
Ref 25/0403
