It was a real mixed 'Brent weekend' with the community coming together to save people from a serious fire in Willesden LINK and the dreadful news of a female dying in a fatal shooting in Harlesden LINK. Our thanks go out to the life savers in Willesden and our sympathy to the family and friends of the Harlesden victim.
My thanks to Michael Roberts of the Michael Styles hair salon in High Road, Willesden for permission to publish the videos he posted on Next Door and other social media: first hand account of the rescue and the struggle to get help for a hearing impaired man in the aftermath.
Michael Roberts has set up a Funding page for Albert to help him get back on his feet.
Following the tragic news of the
fatal shooting of a woman in Harlesden, The Leader of Brent Council,
Councillor Muhammed Butt has issued a statement.
Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council said:
Along
with everyone in Brent, I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn that a
woman has tragically died following a fatal shooting on Gifford Road,
Harlesden, last night, which also left two other people injured.
Our thoughts and condolences are with the victim’s loved ones and all those affected during this incredibly difficult time.
While
incidents like this are rare in our borough, I know it will cause
concern within our community. I want to reassure everyone that we are
working closely with residents, partners and the police to make sure our
residents feel safe and supported.
If
you have any information that could assist the investigation, please
contact the Metropolitan Police on 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote
CAD7137/14Dec.
You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
Wembley Matters has covered the long struggle by the Stonebridge and Harlesden community over Bridge Park and it is not over yet. (Type in 'Bridge Park' in the search box). Many locals were sceptical of the plans revealed recently at the public exhibition LINK on Brent Council's proposals, and in conversation stressed the contribution Bridge Park had made to local black history. At the very least a panel about its history was suggested for the new building.
Harlesden People's Community Council has gone further and launched a campaign for the original building to be listed and have won the backing of Lord Boateng, former MP for Brent East.
HPPC explain:
Bridge Park was the brainchild of the Harlesden People’s Community
Council, a cooperative formed in 1981 against the backdrop of the Brixton
uprising by a group of young Black residents of Stonebridge Estate. Between
1982 and 1988, the group spearheaded the transformation of Stonebridge Bus
Garage into a dynamic community complex that championed Black excellence and
self-empowerment.
Alongside state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facilities, Bridge
Park housed Brent's first Information Technology Centre, a creche for working
mothers, start-up units for local businesses, and a 24-track recording studio.
The centre played an integral role in preventing a race uprising in Harlesden
throughout the turbulent 1980s and remains an outstanding, early example of
community-led adaptive reuse in England.
“Bridge
Park is one of the most important developments I have seen in this country for
a long time. [...] It is the most remarkable example of a community getting
together and being determined with an inspired leadership to work against what
must have been impossible odds to create this kind of centre for the
community.”
King Charles III
“The Bridge Park Complex is a
profoundly significant building because of its provenance in local government
transportation and community use. There could be no finer tribute to Leonard
Johnson and Brent community activism than it being granted listed status.”
The Rt Hon Lord Boateng
In 2017, Bridge Park was sold by Brent Council to a developer. Local
campaigners fought back, but in 2020 they lost their High Court challenge
against the sale of the site, leaving Bridge Park and its cultural legacy at
risk of erasure. Listed status would help safeguard the centre for future
generations and mark its importance as site of national architectural and
historic interest.
HPCC's aims:
To honour the remarkable achievements of Leonard Johnson and the Harlesden People's Community Council.
To recognise a more representative and diverse heritage through the National Heritage List for England.
To open up the possibility of an alternative redevelopment proposal that focuses on reactivating Bridge Park's existing fabric and re-establishing a community-led approach to its governance.
To foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Stonebridge/Harlesden'scultural identity and in doing so, act as a catalyst for inclusive, sustainable, and
culture-led regeneration in the area.
HPPC held a public meeting on Sunday 24th November 2024 at Brent Hub Community
Enterprise Centre to discuss their campaign to get Bridge Park Community Centre
added to the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). The meeting was
attended by local residents and a number of Brent councillors, including
Kathleen Fraser, Tony Ethapemi, Abdi Aden, and council leader Muhammed Butt.
During the meeting, HPCC members
Mike Wilson and Lawrence Fearon presented an overview of Bridge Park’s history,
highlighting the site's cultural significance and impact. The presentation was
followed by a video message(extract below)from
award-winning British actor Ray Fearon, who shared how Bridge Park had played a
pivotal role in his journey to stardom and voiced his strong support for the
listing campaign.
.
Rebecca Markus, a recent graduate
of the Bartlett School of Architecture (BSA) at University College London, who
helped initiate the campaign, then provided insight into the listing process.
She was joined by Edward Denison, Professor of Architecture and Global
Modernities at the BSA, who shared his expertise and told local residents that
if they decide to move forward with listing they have the BSA’s full support.
The meeting concluded with a
Q&A session giving attendees the opportunity to voice their opinions and
provide feedback. A verbal vote was then taken to determine whether residents
wanted to proceed with the listing application.
“We're thrilled to hear a
resounding ‘yes’ from the local community to move forward with the campaign,”
said Mike Wilson. “The public meeting was a key moment to introduce residents
to the idea of listing Bridge Park, assess community interest, and engage in
meaningful discussion with local councillors about how listing could be
integrated with current redevelopment plans. The strong community support
voiced here today underscores the importance of safeguarding a place that holds
deep social, cultural, and historical significance for the Black community.”
A number of questions were
directed to Brent Council’s leader, Muhammed Butt, challenging the rationale
behind the proposed demolition of Bridge Park. Attendees questioned the
argument that the building is no longer fit for purpose, suggesting instead
that retrofitting Bridge Park would not only preserve the structure but also
accelerate the delivery of essential community facilities while being more
environmentally sustainable.
Several residents also voiced
concerns about not being properly consulted on the council's new plans,
emphasizing that this was not in line with the recommendations of Judge Michael
Green QC in London Borough of Brent v Johnson [2020], where he stated in his concluding remarks:
“Now that the legal issues have been resolved in my judgment, I would again
urge the parties to move on and seek to achieve, by mutual co-operation and agreement,
the best outcome for Bridge Park and the local community.”
The Harlesden People’s Community
Council invites local residents and interested members of the public to join
them for a national launch hosted by the BSA on Thursday 23rd January
2025 from 6 to 8pm at the Harrie Massey Lecture Theatre, 25 Gordon Street,
London, WC1H 0AY.
I was so impressed by seeing this on Rumi's Newsletter today that I felt I must share it with you. They have done a beautiful transformation job on this Harlesden building and their work contributes so much to the community.
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.
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.
Some images from Burma at the British Empire Exhibition
If you have found my recent articles about the Pageant of Empire in 1924 of interest, you might like to discover more about the British Empire Exhibition
from one (or more) of the three illustrated talks I will be giving over the
next few weeks, as part of its centenary.
The first, “The Jewel of Wembley – Burma at the BEE”, is on Friday
20 September, from 7.30 to 9pm, in St Andrew’s Church Hall, Kingsbury. This
is at regular monthly meeting of Wembley History Society, but visitors are
welcome [we just invite a contribution of £3 (£1 for students) towards the cost
of the hall]. All the details you should need are here:
One of the aspects of the Exhibition’s history that I am most keen on is
the perspective of people who came here from the countries of the Empire,
rather than just the “official” British view. The album on which much of my
talk is based contains dozens of newspaper cuttings and photographs. One of the
most intriguing of which is an article by a female journalist of her interview
with Ma Bala Hkin, the leading actress and dancer of the Burmese theatre troupe
at the Exhibition.
One of the headlines from the “Evening News” article.
If you want to know what Ma Bala thought of the English women she saw in
Wembley in 1924, you should come along to my talk!
The second of my talks, “A Harlesden Photographer at the B.E.E. – the
West Indies at Wembley in 1924”, is a free coffee morning event at
Harlesden Library, on Tuesday 8 October from 11am to 12noon.
Back in the 1990s, Wembley History Society received a donation of
photographs, together with some glass plate negatives, showing images of the Exhibition
in 1924, especially from inside the West Indies Pavilion. They were the work of
a little-known local photographer, whose stamp was on the back of some of the
prints:
Harlesden Library seemed the ideal place to present this talk, and you
can find more details and reserve your free place on the Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage
Eventbrite website. This talk is part of the Becoming Brent project, re-examining the British Empire Exhibition and its legacy.
The final talk I will be giving in the Exhibition’s centenary year is “When
Wembley Welcomed the World”. This is being hosted by Preston Community
Library on the afternoon of Sunday 27 October (exact time and further
details will follow). It will be a free event, but with donations to the work
of the community library invited from those who attend.
This illustrated talk is an introduction to the various nations which
took part in the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park in 1924, and their
people who came here for the event, but then moves on to show how Wembley has
continued to welcome people from across the world ever since the 1920s.
I hope that “Wembley Matters” readers will find something of interest in
these presentations, and I look forward to welcoming you to any of these
events.
Yesterday's International Reggae Day celebration in Harlesden took on an international dimension as well as delving deep into the local history of Black Music on this corner of Brent, 'Harlesbridge', combining Harlesden and Stonebridge.
Linking the struggle against South African apartheid with Jamaica, Ghana and the diaspora in England, Kwaku claimed that reggae helped give South Africans the energy to fight for equality (You can hear the great Reggae Mandela album HERE) while Ghana has linked with Jamaica and the UK through their joint concern for the environment through planting of a symbolic Reggae Tree in Accra.:
The Reggae Tree is a symbolic nod to International Reggae Day's Tree Planting Challenge, which is endorsed by Eco-Conscious Citizens. The environmental group's partner organisation, BBM/BMC, planted The Reggae Tree in London in 2018. It's sited in Harlesden, the north-west London area that is the capital of reggae in Britain.
IRD2024 celebrates the 30th anniversary of the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, highlights the importance of reggae to the fight against apartheid in South Africa and the unbreakable bond between Jamaica and South Africa, which is mirrored by the unbreakable bond between International Reggae Day and its original inspiration - South Africa’s Mama Winnie Mandela.
During the event, Eco-Conscious Citizens will also launch a plastic bottle recycle bank to raise awareness of Plastic Free July, which is a global movement that encourages individuals to reduce their single-use plastic consumption for the month of July. The group is asking stores to give their customers the choice of buying non-plastic reusable bags, instead of the free, throw-away single-use plastic bags.
Sonny Roberts with his daughter Cleon
Speaking against the background of a huge and noisy Craven Park traffic jam, the Cleon Roberts, daughter of Jamaican record producer Sonny Roberts LINK Reggae Ambassador, Diane Shrouder-Johnson, spoke of the importance of Harlesden as the capital of reggae and Black Music, developed during the 50s, 60s and 70s to the present with record shops, selling of records from the backs of cars, and studios tucked away amidst a spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship.
Yesterday also saw a special exhibition at Harlesden Library of the Brent Reggae Albums Covers Exhibition which is on until October with curator talks on Monday 12th August, Monday 2nd September and Monday 14th October.
Kwaku gave a well-informed and humourous commentary on the album covers and the music, artists and producers involved.
Towards the end of the talk Kwaku asked the audience whether this was all in the past or continued. Amid the cries from the audience he unveiled a hidden display featuring the the Big Zeeks album cover and the artist himself stepped up from the audience to talk about how much he loved Harlesden and Brent and wanted to give back to the community.
Big Zeeks pointed out how the album cover features many aspects of Harlesden. Can you spot them all?
We wish to invite you to the celebration of the 30th anniversary of International Reggae Day (IRD) in Harlesden on Monday July 1 2024:
1. 5.00-6.00pm Runnings Around The Reggae Tree (In front of Hawkeye Records, 2 Craven Park Rd, London NW10 4AB)
A gathering led by The Reggae Tree Ambassador Diane Shrouder-Johnson where we highlight musical and environmental issues (the Tree is a product of the IRD Plant A Tree Challenge), plus the rich reggae and black music history of Harlesden, Brent – the capital of reggae in Britain.
We'll be expecting a vocal contribution by singing Bob Marley's 'One Love'.
Afterwards 6.30-8.30pm The Brent Reggae Album Covers Exhibition (Harlesden Library, Craven Park Rd, London NW10 8SE)
Local historical musicologist officially unveils and provides the background to how he came to curate the exhibition, followed by a presentation by Colin Brown on The UK Reggae History Online portal, and responses from special guests and attendees.
Includes the playlist from the IRD UK 2024 Recommended Album 'Reggae Mandela', which speaks to the IRD @ 30 theme of Riddims & Resistance, plus refreshments
Brent Council Cabinet on Monday is set to launch a formal consultation on the closure of the Leopold Primary School Gwenneth Prckus site, Brentfield Road, despite overwhelming opposition at the informal consultation stage. LINK
The Governing Body of the school opposed the proposal as did 86.7% of the consultation respondents.
Brent Council's rationale is based on the need for forward planning as pupil numbers drop and the additional expense involved in running a school on two sites. They admit that parents' perception is that despite a shared senior management team and governing body, it runs as a separate school from the Hawkshead Road site.
Certainly it seemed a school in its own right when I visited several times a few years ago and I was bowled over by its ethos and the vitality and talent of the diverse staff and pupils. It was (is) very special. Leopold School (both sites) had a period of difficulty which saw the appointment of an Executive Headteacher to stabilise things and came through with flying colours and improved pupil achievement. It made a postive contribution to the Black Achievement project.
Considerable capital investment was made into the building when it was decided to refurbish what had been the Brent Teachers Centre into an annex to Leopold Primary to accommodate the 'bulge' of pupils that was moving through the system at the time.
The Cabinet paper states:
The Local Authority remains of the view that the proposal is required to address the level of spare places in the local area. While concerns raised by parents would need to be taken into consideration if the proposal was implemented, officers are of the view that the Council should move to consult formally on the proposal to cease provision on the Gwenneth Rickus site of Leopold Primary School.
The building would be used for other educational purposes according to the Cabinet paper but there is no mention of it as a possible site for the Islamia Primary School which is under notice to quit its Queens Park site. SEND and alternative provision are mentioned as possibilities so building expenses would remain.
The closure would lead to job losses and proposals are put forward to manage this process involving talks with trade unions and possible re-location of some staff to the Hawkshead site or re-employment elsewhere.
I embed below officers' responses to the consultation.
TfL and Brent Council are currently
consulting on walking, wheeling and cycling improvements between Wembley
Central and Harlesden stations. At Brent Cycling Campaign we are really excited
about this proposal which represents an important opportunity for Brent and
North West http://London.You can read about the proposals here: https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/wembley-harlesden
After more than three years of planning and public engagement TfL published
the new plans on 10th November. The plans connect Wembley Central to Harlesden
with a cycle route on quiet roads and protected space between Sylvia Gardens
and First Drive across the North Circular. The proposals, which do not reduce
the number of lanes for drivers, follow an existing route from London Road onto
Tokyngton Avenue, after crossing the North Circular people on bikes are
diverted through quiet streets around Stonebridge Park to reach Harlesden
Station on Acton Lane.
The junction of Harrow Road with the North Circular is the most dangerous
junction for pedestrians in Brent. Between 2018 and 2022 there were over 90
collisions along Harrow Road, in January 2022 a person was killed crossing the
road at the junction with the North Circular, and since 2018 there have been
over 100 injuries and deaths on roads along the route. With quicker and safer
pedestrian crossings, and a new protected cycle lane, the improvements to the
A404 / A406 junction will be an example of how Brent can be transformed into a
welcoming borough for active travel.
Throughout the plans new and improved pedestrian crossings and footpaths
will help connect communities. Some side roads will have raised entrances,
meaning people using mobility aids or with pushchairs do not need to go up and
down steep kerbs. Extended bus lanes will mean faster, more reliable bus
journeys. The new route will make it much easier to access Bridge Park Leisure
Centre, with two new pedestrian crossings over the main road where people are
not left stranded on pedestrian islands. TfL also plan to improve the lighting
and CCTV in Tokyngton Recreation Ground and Stonebridge Park making these areas
safer for people traveling alone and after dark.
The new proposals miss some important opportunities for better walking and
cycling in Brent, for example by not continuing the improvements along Harrow
Road to Wembley Triangle, and by not reducing the number of motor vehicles on
residential roads. However, we at Brent Cycling Campaign welcome these plans,
and hope they represent the start of significant investment in better active
travel in Brent. If you would like to have your say and support the proposals
please see the
consultation on TfL’s website.
This article authored by Brent Cycling Campaign
first appeared in the Brent and Kilburn Times.
