UPDATE: First phase of Northwick Park development at planning tonight - it may be another marathon

 

Overall view of the context of the site that will be developed (outlined in red)

The site now (slightly right of centre)

Masterplan view of the whole site as it will be - this application in foreground left

UPDATE: APPLICATION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY

 

The first major section of the Northwick Park development comes up at tonight's Planning Committee. If the last meeting was a marathon tonight's may necessitate committee members and officers bringing in their sleeping bags!

The overall Northwick Park master plan is a development shared between partners Brent Council, University of Westminsters, Northwick Park Hospital (NHS) and Network Housing as part of the One Public Estate government sponsored initiative.

This particular site will be familiar with visitors to the hospital who approach from Northwick Park station. They will know the chimney of the energy unit, low buildings, the hospital social club, nursery and some housing on the left side of the ring road as you approach along the footpath.

All will be swept away eventually and replaced with tower blocks ranging from 5-6 storeys to 12-13 storeys, a new nursery building and some small shops. The social club appears unlikely to survive unless space is found on the hospital site and in any case the hospital is said to want to discourage the consumption of alcohol - pity the poor hospital works after an intensive shift!

The Planning Committee will be told that there were just 10 objectors to the scheme and the officers' report dismisses each of them in turn. See LINK.

 

The proposal:

Full planning permission for demolition of existing buildings and structures on the site, all site preparation works for a residential led mixed-use developmentcomprising 654 new homes, associated car and cycle spaces, a replacement nursery, retail space, associated highways improvements, open space, hard andsoft landscaping and public realm works.

 With Cllr Maurice on the committee you can bet parking will take up a lot of  the time and here it is not just a matter of parking for the new residents but also parking for hospital workers themselves. The tenure of the housing will also be an issue with another Brent development with a significant amount of shared ownership despite recent publicity over drawbacks to such schemes:

Out of the 654 units, 409 will be private -

Affordable housing: Provision of 245 affordable units comprising: 

a. 70 units for affordable rent at London Affordable Rent levels and 26 units for affordable rentat London Living Rent levels, in accordance with the Mayor of London's Affordable HousingProgramme 2016-2021 Funding Guidance (dated November 2016) or the necessaryguidance as it is updated and subject to an appropriate Affordable Rent nominationsagreement with the Council, securing 100% nomination rights on first lets and 75%nomination rights on subsequent lets for the Council.

b. 38 units for affordable rent at rent levels not exceeding 80% of current market rents, andsubject to an appropriate Affordable Rent nominations agreement with the NHS Trust and the Council, securing 100% nomination rights on first lets and 75% nomination rights onsubsequent lets for the NHS Trust and cascaded rights for the Council. 

c. 111 units for Shared Ownership, (as defined under section 70(6) of the Housing &Regeneration Act 2008, subject to London Plan policy affordability stipulations that total housing costs should not exceed 40% of net annual household income, disposed on a freehold / minimum 125 year leasehold to a Registered Provider, (and subject to anappropriate Shared Ownership nominations agreement with the Council that secure sreasonable local priority to the units). The condition in brackets has been removed in a supplementary report. 

Concerns over the environmental impact of the scheme, impingement on Metropolitan Open Space, housing tenure, the proportion of amenity space, over-shadowing, the impact on views (especially from Harrow-on-the-Hill) are all, as usual, judged on balance to be tolerable given the 'benefits of the scheme.'

Officers judged that capacity in local primary and secondary schools is sufficient to cater for the increased population.

The webcast of the meeting starts at 6pm tonight: https://brent.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/531655

UPDATED WITH CAPTIONS: The wonderful children of Brent perform in 'SPARKS FLY' - an anthem for Brent in troubled times

 

 

Composed by thousands of Brent school children and young members of Brent Music Service orchestras, alongside award-winning composer James Redwood and Brent-born poet Momtaza Mehri. The Brent Anthem represents the kind of united, diverse community we have in Brent and London. Young people collaborated with musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Brent Music Service in physical and virtual workshops throughout the year, writing lyrics and composing melodies to create this special song as a gift to their home borough. In celebration, a special 3-minute video and audio track titled 'Sparks Fly' has been released.

 Find out more: www.brent2020.co.uk/whats-happening/programmes/the-brent-anthem The Brent Anthem has been created by RPO Resound, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s community and education department, in collaboration with Brent Music Service, made possible with the generous support of John Lyon’s Charity and the Brent 2020 Culture Fund.

The Lyrics

 

RPO Brent Anthem 2020 ‘Sparks Fly’

We stand on this hill, the city a silhouette on the skyline

We stand on this hill, the city a silhouette on the skyline

We stand on this hill, the city a silhouette on the skyline

Streets like a map of hope, our song carried by the breeze

River Brent take me with you

Winding down brooks and underground streams 

Following the roar of the crowds to a rainbow of dreams.

The arch like a stretch of arms reaching across the sky

A bridge to connect us, standing proudly 

Standing proudly, flying high

This is our time this is our place 

 

Chorus 1

Whoah, Hear our voices rise 

Whoah, Sparks Fly, streamers in the sky

Colours swirling like autumn leaves

Spirits high our voices full of pride 

There is so much joy is these busy streets

Whoah... Whoah....Whoah...

We are marching to our own London beat.

We are more than a country, more than a continent

We are the whole world in a line of shops

We bring our own colours

We bring our own flavours

We’re always moving forward and we’re never going to stop.

 

Chorus 2

Sparks Fly, streamers in the sky

Colours swirling like autumn leaves. 

Spirits high, our voices full of pride

There’s so much joy is these busy streets. 

Whoah... Whoah....Whoah...

We are marching to our own London beat. 

We are marching to our own London beat. 

We are marching to our own London beat.

 

Opinions wanted: How have changes in Wembley since the building of the new stadium affected you?

Hello Wembley Matters readers,

 

I’m an Architecture student at the University of Huddersfield currently carrying out a research project into how the Wembley area has changed since the new Wembley Stadium has opened and how this has affected the residents. I would like to gather Brent residents' opinions on the changes in the Wembley area over the past 13 years so I would be grateful if any residents could spare a few moments to fill out the questionnaire below, it shouldn’t take any longer than 10-15 minutes. 

 

Questionnaire LINK

Thank you,

Matthew

No 'peace of mind' regarding high rise fire safety for disabled resident as Brent Council lights up for International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Brent Civic Centre lit up  for International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2020 (Kilburn Times)

Brent's symbolic gesture for International Day Day of Persons with Disabilities 2020 LINK has left a local resident with disabilities feeling jaundiced as his repeated efforts to persuade housing officers and councillors that he needs rehousing because of his mobility and hearing disabililities, have failed to elicit positive action.

He feels trapped and fearful.

The resident is currently housed on an upper floor of a South Kilburn estate tower block that is scheduled for demolition. This means that fire safety measures such as sprinklers have not been installed. He has requested rehousing at a lower level.

The resident, whose case has been covered before on Wembley Matters LINK, said:

In yesterday's Cabinet Agenda papers on Council assets  they said "All our high-rises are safe and we are bringing in additional measures to reassure our vulnerable tenants".

 

But I do not feel safe, or reassured as there is still only one escape route in my block and if a fire was to start on this escape routebelow me. I feel I could be trapped, or my mobility issues may affect other residents who would also be in a hurry to escape the building.

 

The Cabinet paper said "Our Fire Safety works provide peace of mind for all our resident's" but I do not have any 'peace of mind because of my mobility issues if I need to evacuate my tower block by the only escape route which my building has.

 

Could you through Wembley Matters ask the Council what  I  and possibly other disabled residents in a similar situation  can do to get 'the peace of mind' that they refer to?

 

Just to add, a disabled resident at Grenfell was told before the fire, that she had nothing to worry about, as the building was safe and this is what Brent Council are saying about all their own high-rises -they are completely safe.

 

The resident pointed out that the latest Brent Council Fire Safety Policy document LINK   had nothing to say about evacuating from a high rise block in the event of a fire or how disabled people would evacuate in an emergency. Although at Cabinet they used the term 'vulnerable' to describe people eligible for additional safety measures there is no detail about what measures are available or planned.

Green Party GLA candidate calls for government action against asset stripper Philip Green as Harrow Debenhams faces closure

Debenhams, Harrow yesterday

Following the news about the collapse of Debenhams and the imminent closure of its Harrow store, Emma Wallace, GLA Green Party candidate for Brent and Harrow, has called for government action against owner Philip Green.

Emma said:

I am very sad to hear of the demise of Debenhams and particularly, the Debenhams in Harrow.  The closure of this historic and iconic store will leave a huge hole in a local town centre and is another nail in the coffin for the local high street as a place for retail and community.  It will also result in thousands of jobs being lost at a time when people are already struggling to get by, with Christmas round the corner, the impact of Covid being felt and with Brexit on the horizon.  

The government's universal credit scheme is not fit for purpose and with UC cuts also looming, it will not provide an adequate safety net for people losing their jobs.  Whilst we have seen the government handing out contracts to new and unregulated companies with little to no accountability during the pandemic, their response to ordinary British workers has been lacking and confused in this most difficult of years.  The government must do the right thing and provide proper financial support for the thousands who are potentially set to lose their retail jobs.

Philip Green, the Debenhams and Arcardia group owner, who ironically was made a Knight in 2006 'For Services to Retail Industry', has been hugely detrimental to the British high street, seeing his scandalous, asset stripping continued unabated for nearly twenty years.  The government has again, completely failed to hold Green to account, first seeing the demise of BHS in 2016, leaving the business with £571 million pension debt and now one of the largest and oldest names on the high street collapsing under his tenure.  It is essential the govenment now holds Green to account and he clears any existing pensions deficit with the Arcardia retail jobs lost.

Time to Talk about the Brent Black Community Action Plan - Tuesday December 8th 6-8.30pm

  From the Brent Council EventBrite page - I hope the Bridge Park campaigners get a look-in to hold the Council to account.

We will be reigniting the conversation on race, identity and the experiences of Black people in an honest and meaningful way.

About this Event

Keynote talks from Lord Simon Woolley and Akala.

Brent Council and Young Brent Foundation want to facilitate a genuinely community centred conversation on race, identity and the experiences of Black people in an honest and meaningful way. Given all that has happened around the world in relation to the issue of race and racism over the last few months, we believe this will be a very timely and pertinent conversation for people in the London Borough of Brent. We are the most diverse local authority area in the country and home to one of the oldest and largest African Caribbean communities in London.

Agenda as followed:

• Keynote talk; Lord Simon Woolley (Founder, Operation Black Vote)
• Video on the Brent Black Community Action Plan
• Panel discussion with Brent-based panel members; Ashley Theophane (British Boxer), Liz Mitchell (Lead Singer, Boney M), Danny Coyle (Headteacher), Deji Adeoshun (Youth & Community Manager), Martina Jean-Jacques (Psychotherapist)
• In Conversation with Akala & David Okoro; Akala (Artist, Writer & Historian) & David Okoro (Co-founder and Director of Westside Young Leaders Academy)

This event is open to local residents, partners and professionals, and we want the conversation to build on the Brent Black Community Action Plan. This action plan was developed by and for Brent’s Black community and we want to use this event to help the community to continue to hold the council accountable for delivering the actions, which are aimed at addressing racial inequality.

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/time-to-talk-about-the-brent-black-community-action-plan-tickets-129327143969

Brent Council's Scrutiny Committee & public ignored as Wembley Ambulance Station closure goes ahead

 

Brent TUC demonstrate outside Kenton Ambulance Station where Wembley staff have been stationed during Covid

Cllr Ketan Sheth confirmed via Twitter this afternoon that the Wembley Ambulance Station closure had gone ahead on December 1st.

Cllr Sheth is Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee that discussed the proposed closure as an emergency item at their last meeting.  Having heard  the London Ambulance Service at the meeting, members were not satisfied and particulalrly concerned that there had been no consultation with councillors or the public as required by statute.

The Committee recommended that the closure be paused while a full public consultation was carried out.

They have been ignored.

Brent Trades Council launched a campaign to stop the closure and set up a petition addressed to the  the head of the London Ambulance Service calling for the closure of Wembley and other ambulance stations to stop.

They have been ignored.

 

'Once in a lifetime' opportunity as Brent youngsters compose amd perform ANTHEM FOR BRENT 2020 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Reposted from the website of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra LINK

This autumn, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s (RPO) community and education programme RPO Resound has been building on its thriving relationship with Brent Music Service (BMS) and today marks the culmination of this very special collaboration. Brent is The Mayor’s London Borough of Culture for 2020 and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra has been working in partnership with BMS, award-winning composer and music leader James Redwood, the poet Momtaza Mehri and more than 8,000 Brent school children and young members of BMS orchestras to compose and perform Anthem for Brent 2020.

Young people from Brent have been involved in the anthem-writing process throughout 2020, and, for the final stage of the creative process, a further 15 young creatives (aged 10-18) and 8 choir members took part in digital workshops (October-December), collaborating with professional composer James Redwood and nine musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The participants wrote lyrics, composed melodies and music, worked with a film director to create an accompanying film, and recorded themselves singing and performing alongside world-class professionals.

A video of the Anthem for Brent 2020 will soon be available to view on this page and on the RPO YouTube Channel. 

You can also view or download the lyrics to the 2020 Anthem here.

This project was generously supported by John Lyon’s Charity, and Brent 2020, London Borough of Culture.

Here is some feedback from parents of some of the young participants.

As a participant’s mum, I’d like to express my thanks to you all for everything you have done to encourage my son to have a go at the tasks during the writing workshop over the last four days. 

"When my son realised he had been selected to participate in this workshop he was very excited. He couldn’t quite believe it. However, he did feel a little scared because he has never done anything like this before. Thanks a lot for being so lovely to him and for making him feel confident and comfortable to express his thoughts. I think he may be the youngest participant but he never felt left out. I appreciate there are a lot of talented youngsters in the session however you guys and girls made sure everyone was included regardless of musical talent or ability."

"My son says he has learnt a lot. The following I quote  from when I asked him about the sessions........”My English is going to be so much better when I go back to school & I know more about music now too. I’m very thankful that I was chosen because it has inspired me to continue to try my best with music as it will all help me to be a musician when I’m older. The “teachers” are so good.”

"My son thinks you are all amazing. He loves music, he sings with a Choir and was learning to play the violin & had a few piano lessons prior to our national lockdown in March. Unfortunately, the instrumental lessons haven’t resumed yet but he enjoys his weekly choir zoom call. He keeps telling us he will be a musician when he is older. Therefore having the opportunity to work with and listen to such talented individuals is inspiring and an experience he will never forget. He was fascinated by how quickly everything came together this week. [The Workshop Leader] James made a lasting impression on  my son. “oh my, how does he do that?” was a phrase I’ve heard a lot of over the last few days."

We have some feedback from young participants too: 

"A quick note to say that, I found the experience of creating the anthem highly enjoyable and enriching. I was glad to be selected to take part in this unique opportunity. 

It is a privilege to work on a project with high calibre musicians from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Brent Music Service. Thank you, James, Rupert, Sophie, Gerald, Orli and Tim. I look forward to finishing off the project."  Male participant.

"Thank you for the once in a lifetime opportunity to work with the RPO musicians and for allowing me to write music for the Brent Anthem." Female participant/Sister.

"Thank you all RPO musicians for coming to assist us and create the first anthem for Brent."  Male participant/Brother.