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:
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To honour the remarkable achievements of Leonard Johnson and the Harlesden People's Community Council.
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To recognise a more representative and diverse heritage through the National Heritage List for England.
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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.
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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.
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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.
