Lone Star reported to have received 7 first-round bids for Quintain

Property World LINK is reporting that seven investors have lodged first-round bids for Quintain, the developers of Wembley Park.

Quintain  is currently owned by US company Lone Star. Property World report that the bids include offers for the whole business, an offer to become a business partner and and an offer  to acquire the whole of the 5,000 home Wembley Park development. 

It appears that  Guy Hands' Terra Firma Capital Partners has not after all made an offer through its Annington Homes company. LINK

As reported before on Wembley Matters there is also the possibility of new owners for Wembley Stadium and the FA is said to be looking for further offers at a higher price than the initial one from Shahid Khan and is also seeking assurances that the stadium will remain the home of English football as part of the deal. It appears to be inevitable that any bid will include an increased number of events at the stadium to maximise the income of the new owner. Meanwhile Spurs will play its first home match at Wembley on August 18th before transferring to their new stadium. LINK

See the Property News 'Big Interview'  with Quintain HERE

An evening with novelist Kamila Shamsie Preston Library June 19th

Preston Community Library is delighted to be hosting an evening with British/Pakistani author Kamila Shamsie who will be reading from and talking about her prize-winning novel Home Fire. This will be one of Ms Shamsie's first public appearances since Home Fire won the Women's Prize for Fiction (formerly the Orange Prize) which is the world's most prestigious award for women's writing. The event is in Preston Library next Tuesday, 19 June, at 6.30pm.

Brent Mencap Open House Friday 22nd June

Support school music in Brent - Brent Makes Music June 27th at the Arena

At a time when high stakes testing is narrowing the curriculum and financial cuts often mean cutting the arts first it is wonderful that the Brent Music Service continues to work with so many children in Brent schools with additional classes at weekends.

An appearance at the iconic Wembley Arena (sorry SSE Arena) will be a memorable event for nearly 1,500 Brent children on June 27th and I hope that as many people as possible can come along and support them as well as reinforce BMS's claim that making music changes lives.

Tickets are available HERE

Paul Fensom, the powerhouse behind Brent Music service who has overseen its survival and transformation will be retiring this summer after 40 years promoting music in the borough and BMS is planning a big and well-deserved goodbye party:

From BMS Facebook:

FAREWELL TO MR FENSOM - Have you got your tickets yet? 7.30pm Saturday 14th July 2018. Book today as spaces are running out: https://farewell-to-mr-fensom.eventbrite.co.uk/

SHOUT-OUT TO BMS ALUMNI - Are you a past student, staff or ensemble member of Brent Music Service? Then join us for this perfect opportunity to offer Paul your best wishes for his retirement and to catch up with BMS friends and colleagues.

Such a special celebration - Paul's 40 years of dedication and commitment to bringing music into the lives of the children of London borough of Brent Council. #MakingMusicChangesLives

Please share so others don't miss this opportunity.

A buffet, music and a cash bar are all available to enjoy, so book your tickets today at: https://farewell-to-mr-fensom.eventbrite.co.uk/

Clean Air for Brent welcomes expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone but North Circular should be included

Reacting to London Mayor Sadiq Khan's announcement about the upcoming expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, Clean Air for Brent Chair Fiona Mulaisho said:

We welcome this announcement which will help to protect Brent residents in the south of the borough from toxic air from October 2021.  A stronger, larger Ultra Low Emission Zone will go a long way to tackling the currently illegal and harmful levels of air pollution.

However, we are concerned that as the ULEZ will not cover the North Circular itself, more dirty diesel powered vehicles will choose to use this already busy and hugely polluted road.  As hundreds of Brent residents live right by or very close to the North Circular, we will be challenging the Mayor and Brent Council to work together to ensure these people’s air quality does not worsen when the new zone comes into effect.

The Mayor now needs to turn his thoughts to what he is going to do to ensure those who live outside the North Circular can also breathe cleaner air.

Given that there will be no sunset period for people living within the extended zone to change their vehicles, CAfB also calls for strong engagement with residents and through drivers on the practical issues which arise, starting now.

Note from Martin Francis

I feel strongly that the North Circular and beyond should be included.  When I worked at Brentfield Primary School, close to the North Circular at Brent Park, I was very concerned about the number of children with respiratory problems. At the time, 20 years or so ago, about 2/3 of the children in my class had 'pumps.' It was noteworthy that when we went on a residential trip to Brent's Gordon Brown Outdoor Education Centre in Hampshire they did not need to use them but when we returned and approached the outskirts of London they began to ask for them.

Free English classes in Wembley Park - enrolment on Saturday

This is a FREE course - rarely available as such  - and accredited which is an excellent opportunity for those seeking work to improve their English and get better possibility of a job. It is free. Quite a time commitment but maybe a rare opportunity.

Brent councillors' improved Code of Conduct for 'highest ethical standards'

From Brent Council
 
Brent Council is committed to the highest ethical standards in the work of its elected councillors and co-opted members, embodying the principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

There's been a Code of Conduct in place for many years to help guide elected members, and Brent's recent full council meeting has just simplified and improved this code so that it is easier to understand and follow and so that it promotes the high standards of conduct expected of Brent members.

Click bottom left corner for full size document:

Public Square section of £17.8m Pedway deal goes through plus estate 'in-fill' housing

It was the first meeting of the new Planning Committee yesterday evening. Members not only had to cope with hefty agenda papers but a detailed late Supplementary Report on several of the items.  Committee Chair Cllr James Denselow pointed out that most of them were new to the job and it was clear throughout the meeting that he was heavily dependent on planning officer David Glover who sat next to him and the pair were regularly engaged in urgent conversation while the meeting went on around them.

Old hands Cllr Maurice (Conservative) and Cllr Colacicco are still on the committee. Of the newcomers Cllr Abdi, Hylton and Sangani were most vocal and Cllr Johnson as vice chair made some useful interventions.

The most far reaching proposal was left until last when most of the public attending had gone home.  This is the proposal for a new public square with colonnade and canopy beside the Civic Centre that Brent Council sought to gain from using £17.8m of Community Infrastructure Levy for changes to the public realm on Olympic Way.  The overall scheme  includes the replacement of the stadium pedway by steps - a matter barely mentioned last night as it will involve a separate application. The proposal involves modifications of the outline planning permission that had already been granted to Quintain for a building on Plot NW04 and the scheme approved last night is dependent on the removal of the pedway.

It was interesting that in the earlier discussion about the Ark Somerville primary school the impression was given that the granting of outline permission earlier for the wider area, but including the school, was pretty well set in stone and could not be changed.

The public were there for much smaller schemes but ones that directly impacted on their homes  and lives in different neighbourhoods.  The proposals were part of the 'in-fill' of estates to provide more 'affordable homes' and affected Kings Drive in Wembley, Carlyon Close in Alperton and Stonebridge Park.  In each  case residents protested loss of amenity - for Kings Drive, parking spaces; Carlyon Close opening up the quiet close to through pedestrian traffic; and Stonebridge Park the impact on green space.

Denselow throughout the meeting kept emphasising that the Council had to meet the target of building 9,000 new homes by 2028 and it was not surprising that all the applications were approved. The loss of amenity for current residents was out balanced by the provision of new homes.

However it was good to see the definition of 'affordable' questioned and the committee were told that this was 80% of market rent (rather than the Mayor's London Living Rent) though that might be reduced for tenants nominated by the Council.  I hope that committee members will continue to plug away on this when Quintain puts in more applications as the assumption appears to be that the 9,000 will help cut Brent's 4,000 strong waiting list - not at 80% of market rent it won't.

The effectiveness of the planning department's consultation and communication with residents came up several times and this desreves further consideration. Residents' accounts of the consultation process suggested major improvement is needed.