Northwick Park redevelopment takes another step forward at Monday's Cabinet

Property owners/leaseholders

The One Public Estate plan for Northwick Park will take a step forward at Cabinet on Monday February 12th when it is expected that a revised Memorandum of Understanding LINK between the partners will be approved and a timetable agreed.

The One Public Estate (OPE) is a government initiative aimed at rationalising and realising the potential (including financial) of public land by bringing together all the various public sector owners for redevelopment.  In the case of Northwick Park this includes Brent Council, Network Homes, the University of Westminster and the London NW Healthcare NHS Trust. LINK

Various options are considered in a feasibility study (embedded at the end of this article) and the favoured one is Option B2:

Click on image to enlarge

This includes the highest density of housing and reprovision of the existing university accommodation. On the issue of the proportion of affordable housing proposed the feasibility study notes '50% affordable [is at] the margins of viability, before any consideration of the value of existing uses'. The Option B1 included the provision of a new secondary school which may have provided a site for the proposed North Brent Secondary School LINK.

The plans are at an early stage but may include provision of much needed lift access at Northwick Park Metropolitan Line Station and work to improve the present narrow tunnel exit to the hospital and university, and improved pedestrian access to South Kenton station on the Bakerloo and Overground lines.  There is the possibility of a new road being built to take traffic into the area.

The Officers' report puts forward this timetable:

·      Prepare a planning brief for the site. (Feb 18- Dec 18) 


·      Commission further transport studies. (Feb 18- Dec 18) 


·      Maximise OPE funding. (ongoing) 


·      Commission energy feasibility studies. (Jan 18- July 18) 


·      Consider potential for inclusion of a secondary school. (Jan 18 – July 18) 


Network Homes Ltd and LNWUH to conclude negotiations on NHS owned 
land. (June 2018) Timescales are indicative. 

These are early days but local residents will want to look into the plans carefully for any impact on the Metropolitan Open Land that surrounds the site and which they have fought so hard to preserve in Harrow-on-the-Hill.

223 bus route link to Harrow likely to terminate at Northwick Park in future

A Wembley Matters reader has been in contact over proposals to stop the 223 bus at Northwick Park rather than Harrow Bus Station. The consultation has now closed.

She wrote:

I had sent them (TfL) a long message detailing the effects the cut would have on older residents, on children travelling to school in Harrow and all sorts of people who have difficulty getting their shopping on and off the bus or who would feel intimidated standing around Northwick Park in the dark or cold weather.  Apparently none of  this is of any interest to TFL.

The consultation was a sham because they didn't tell anyone about it.  There is no information on buses or in the bus station, so most people are completely ignorant of the proposals.

TfL replied:

Thanks for the contacting us on 31 August, about the route change proposal to the 223 buses.
I’m sorry that you are unhappy with our proposal to terminate the buses at Northwick Park Hospital instead of Harrow Bus Station. It’s understandable that many of the customers rely on the direct service for Harrow, and this would result in journeys being disrupted. 

Harrow bus station and Northwick Park Hospital will continue to be linked by routes 182, 483, 186, H9, H10 and H14 (where the Hopper Fare can be applied). Curtailing the 223 at Northwick Park Hospital will also create the free space for new route X140 to stop and stand at Harrow bus station. 

These changes are in keeping with the opening of the Elizabeth line next year, which will change how customers travel around the capital.

The challenges facing our local NHS hospitals - top managers address public meeting

From Brent Patient Voice 

I’m writing to extend a warm invitation to a forthcoming BPV PUBLIC MEETING on 12 September at 7pm at the Learie Constantine Centre, Dudden Hill Lane, NW10 2ET. (Refreshments from 6.30pm.)

The topic will be a presentation on the challenges facing the London North West Healthcare NHS Trust (i.e. Northwick Park, Ealing, Central Middlesex and St Mark’s Hospitals). As you will be aware these challenges are daunting. The flow of thousands of patients through the doors does not decrease. While some highly commended clinical  services are being provided, waiting times in A&E and for some types of appointment are falling seriously short. In addition the Trust is required to close a deficit of around £49.5 million. We are fortunate to have secured two members of the top management team to tell us how the Trust is coping. They are Dr Nigel Stephens, Deputy Medical Director and leading cardiologist, and Simon Crawford, Director of Strategy. We are also asking a GP, Prof Paul Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of the London Journal of Primary Care, to comment on how links between hospitals and GPs can be improved to benefit patients.

After the presentations and an interactive discussion, we’ll move for the last half-hour to the BPV AGM, including elections.

We very much hope to see you there.

Robin Sharp

Chair Brent Patient Voice

Brent Cabinet to discuss Northwick Park One Public Estate Memorandum

Controversial 'One Public Estate' plans LINK for Northwick Park will be discussed at the Cabinet on May 22nd (at the earlier time of 6pm) in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding between the four partners: London Borough of Brent, London NW Healthcare NHS Trust, University of Westminster and Network Homes.

Consultation revealed resident fears over impact on transport, existing infrastructure including schools, flood and drainage and the need to consult with Harrow Council.  I would also add the potential impact on public open space as being a concern.

The Memorandum of Understanding stresses improvements for all the partners but also has an underlying theme of reducing costs and maximising receipts and land values:

The Key Objectives

The aim of the Project in general terms is to work together to rationalise services and resources between the Partners and Associate Partners  and unlock development land to facilitate hospital redevelopment, new homes and improved services for the community.

Common visions for partners;

·      Place making 


·      Central hub(s) 


·      Improved infrastructure (road network and Highways, cycle ways etc.), and transport connections, (Underground, overground rail and buses), and private 


·      Utility and boundary review. 


·      Energy strategy 


·      Shared facilities and services. 

 
The specific aim of Project is to:

·      to generate capital receipts. 


·      to reduce running costs 


·      to create jobs, 


·      to create homes, 


·      to integrate services 
These aims are referenced in Brent’s July 2016 Phase Four OPE MOU 
 

Key objectives for Brent are; 


·      More affordable homes 


·      More school places 


·      Growth 


·      Increased revenue from homes and businesses 


·      Employment and skills opportunities within the Borough. 

 
Key objectives for London Northwest Healthcare NHS Trust 


·      Maximise income for the Trust in order to support its deficit and sustainability plans

·      Ensure accommodation requirements are met 


·      Improve access to the hospital 


·      Protect existing clinical services from distribution or delay (e.g. Blue light 
vehicles, clinical activity) 


·      Improve civic values of the development 


·      Address requirement to re-provide services currently on the land, whilst 
ensuring continuity 
 

Key objectives for The University of Westminster 


·      Maintain and increase student satisfaction levels 


·      Upgrade teaching spaces 


·      Increase critical mass and create a sense of place 


·      Create additional student accommodation 


·      Maximise value of landholding 


·      Create staff accommodation. 
 

Key Objectives for Network Homes Ltd. 


·      Phased redevelopment of Northwick Park working collaboratively with other 
land holders to maximise the potential opportunity 


·      Delivery of new affordable and mixed tenure housing as well as commercial 
uses 


·      High quality design and place making, including the main gateway into the 
site from NWP tube station, serving all land holdings 


·      Improved infrastructure and transport connections to help ensure a 
sustainable future for Northwick Park residents, service providers and hospital patients 


This is project outline as first published in One Public estate (Local Government Association/Cabinet office) February 2017 (click on image to enlarge)