Site currently
Proposed
There was a time when there was barely a peep out of anyone about proposals for tower blocks in the development zone around Wembley Stadium, mainly because apart from the residents of North End Road, few people were impacted.
Now the picture is different as the first residents of the high rises find that more buildings are going up in close proximity affecting their access to light and creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. In addition some are also protesting that the plethora of student accommodation is undermining attempts to create a sense of community.
Both issues are cited in objections to new buildings on Watkin Road which replace low rise light industrial buildings. I am surprised that the residents did not realise this was inevitable given the high value of these sites to developers as height and densification leading to higher profits. Some even comment favourably on Quintain's developments as having more respect regarding light and privacy.
Density and Height
This is the proposal for at total of 619 student units at 1-4 and 9 Watkin Road
The proposal includes land on both the northern and southern sides of Watkin Road, each containing blocks of purpose built student accommodation.
The southern site would contain a building that is a maximum of 27 storeys in height and is part 18 storeys and part 6 storeys and has a basement, whilst the northern site would contain a building that extends to 21 storeys in height.
The southern site is proposed to deliver 1,490sqm of commercial floorspace within the basement to 2nd floors and 419 student accommodation bed spaces (and ancillary amenity spaces) across the 3rd to 19th floors.
The northern site is proposed to deliver 200 student accommodation bed spaces (and ancillary amenity spaces)
Obviously with lower standards than residential accommodation more students can be fitted into the space.
The large majority of of the 54 objections to the development come from 581 North End Road but there are also objections from residents of the Helix, St Andrew's Court and Foster Apartments. The only support comes from UCFB (University Campus of Football Business) and there is one neutral comment from Great Portland Street.
This is representative of the the objections from 581 North End Road:
581 North End Road I, like my neighbours, strongly object to the proposed plan. I find it unacceptable that the initial plan has changed so significantly over time despite how devastating its effects on the other residents in the area are. The initial plan had many issues, too. But, the additions over time have made it even worse. Please find my reasons below.
1. Complete blockage of all daylight to my home
My home, placed on Floor 12, only gets a sliver of daylight every day from one angle, with much of my home constantly in the dark. The planned building would completely block the only daylight I get every day while working from home and resuming my daily life. The serious health implications of little to no light every day include Seasonal Affective Disorder, depression, vitamin d deficiency (which leads to bone and back pain, fatigue, frequent illness and more), and sleep disorders. The financial implications would see me having to switch on my lights almost all the time, creating an unmanageable increase in my bills. It would also mean that without the sunlight naturally warming up my flat, my flat would be colder and thus I would need to keep my heating on a lot more often.
2. Excessive number of Student Accommodation buildings in the area causing immense anti-social behaviour and a complete lack of community.
When I decided to make Wembley my permanent home and invest my hard-earned money here, I was painted a picture of a blossoming community trying to move away from hotels, student accommodations and anti-community initiatives. As it stands, our building is suffocated by the number of student accommodations (e.g. Grand Felda House, Canvas, Pavilion Court, iQ Student Accommodation, Unite Students, Host the Helix, etc.). These temporary young residents do not treat our neighbourhood as a residential area. They litter, smoke, consume drugs outdoors, throw alcohol bottles and eggs from their windows onto our communal areas and the streets below, and more. Our parcels and post get stolen all the time. There are random, stolen supermarket trolleys in front of the student accommodation buildings almost all the time, too. We are barely feeling safe and like we have neighbours we can start to build a community with as it is. We do not need more temporary residents, especially students, wreaking havoc and making Wembley Park insufferable. This has and will continue to increase our maintenance fees, too, as we have to pay to get our communal areas cleaned after they throw eggs and glass bottles.
3. Complete blockage of my flat's view
One of the main reasons I bought this specific property as opposed to other new build developments was the view of the city it promised. Currently, from my flat's two windows facing where this new plan would be built, I can see the Shard, the London Eye and more. This not only increases the quality of my life, but adds quantifiable value to my property. If this planned building was to go ahead, my flat would be boxed in without any daylight and any view. All I would be able to stare at would be a brick wall and the private lives of the residents in the new building, both of which are unacceptable. My flat's value would understandably plummet, as I, too, don't and wouldn't want to live somewhere with no view but a brick wall, no daylight, no sense of community and lots of anti-social behaviour.
4. Complete invasion of privacy
As my windows are only on one side and the proposed building's unacceptably close to ours, if I wanted to have any chance at getting fresh air or some sliver of daylight, I would need to accept the fact that complete strangers will be able to watch my every move and invade my privacy. This would mean I have to change the way I act, dress up, where I can change my clothes, how I store valuables, and more, in order to keep myself safe as a female occupant. It would also make it very easy for strangers to take photographs of me or my neighbours, our homes, etc. This is obviously not defensible.
5. We have not been formally informed about this proposal at all
We, the residents of 581 North End Road, have not been sent any formal notifications or offered opportunities to object to a plan that is happening a stone's throw away from us. We found out by sheer luck. I believe that this is not legally sound.
6. Brent Council should prioritise safety and a sense of community over money for money's sake.
We pay our council taxes, have put all of our savings into investing in the future of Wembley and show commitment to building a community in an area that lacks it. Yet, Brent consistently accepting more and more student accommodation buildings and quick rental business models like Quintain’s shows that the council is more interested in filling its pockets than taking care of its dedicated residents who hope to spend years if not decades of their lives here.
7. I do not believe the proximity of the proposed buildings to ours complies with the legal regulations and privacy recommendations for London.
8. It is difficult enough for any family to consider raising children in the area with so many young students wreaking havoc and making the area dangerous. The proposed plan would make it even less likely for families to ever want to live in or stay in Wembley. This would cause the continued deterioration of the area, the culture it breeds and the community it harbours.
9. The culmination of these issues would make other young professionals, innovators, communities, etc. avoid investing in and enriching the culture of Wembley. This would make Wembley retain its unfortunate reputation as a "student village" that is only visited for a football game or a concert once a year and avoided at all costs otherwise.
View from Empire Court, North End road 0- before and after:
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