WEMBLEY MATTERS News and views on local politics, the environment, climate change, culture and local history
The mandatory targets for housing building across local authorities were announced yesterday. The annual targets for Brent and neighbouring boroughs are:
Barnet 4,057
Brent 3,080
Camden 3,137
Hammersmith & Fulham 2,783
Harrow 2,294
Westminster 4,341
Tower blocks replacing CNWL Wembley Park building
Medium rise and high rise blocks on CNWL Dudden Hill site
Despite having doubts regarding the amount of affordable housing, lack of amenity space and fears of flooding (Wembley Park) and shared ownership and shading nearby 2 storey homes (Dudden Hill) members of Brent Planning Committee unanimously voted for the redevelopment of the College of North West London (CNWL) sites at Wembley Park and Dudden Hill.
They were told that plans for a new college building in a prime site off Olympic Way could not go ahead without approval of both applications because the developments held fund the college building. Promises of viability reviews at various stages of the process of development looked promising for increasing the number of affordable homes at first (just 69 social rent homes out of 1,000 at Dudden Hill) but later looked very unlikely when they were told the costs for the college new build could rise.
No one asked if a less expensive option than prime site Olympic Way had been considered for the college. Brent Council arranged a loan for United Colleges (merged CNWL and City of Westminster College) to enable the redevelopment project at Wembley Park to go ahead.
A review of intermediate tenures other than shared ownership, generally considered not affordable, was agreed along with a £149,500 contribution to bus service enhancement at Wembley Park. Again at Wembley Park, the developer will pay £100,000 towards improvement of nearby open spaces as little amenity space is offered on a constrained site. There will be road layout changes and crossing enhancements and possibly a CPZ at Dudden Hill and Denzil Road.
The Planning Committee waas chaired by Cllr Saqib Butt in the absence of Cllr Matt Kelcher while his brother Cllr Muhammed Butt (Deputy Leader and lead member for housing, regneration, planning and growth) looked on from the public gallery.
New CNWL campus on the corner of Olympic Way and Fulton Road
The twin developments will add many homes to Brent Council's target and there will be a new state of the art FE college, but there will be nagging doubts, not least in some councillor's minds, about whether a better deal could have been possible in terms of homes affordable for the many on Brent's housing list.
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:
To honour the remarkable achievements of Leonard Johnson and the Harlesden People's Community Council.
To recognise a more representative and diverse heritage through the National Heritage List for England.
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.
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.
From Brent Council website
Major improvements are planned for Wembley High Road. Starting on 13 January 2025, we will begin essential road reconstruction work on all sides of Wembley Triangle.
After discussions with local traders, TfL, and other stakeholders, the council decided to delay the start date to avoid clashing with the busy Diwali and Christmas periods.
Map showing closure of Wembley Triangle and parts of Wembley Hill Road, Harrow Road and Wembley High Road.
These works are expected to last for 18 weeks. During this period, extensive traffic management will be necessary, allowing access only for buses and emergency service vehicles.
The road is expected to reopen around mid-May 2025.
Please refer to the phased Traffic Management Plans for more details of the closure:
· Phase 1 - view the Phase 1 Traffic Management Plan - approximately 14 weeks
· Phase 2 - view the Phase 2 Traffic Management Plan - approximately 4 weeks
Advance signing to inform of the works will be installed widely from 9 December.
A signed diversion route along classified roads will be provided for all other traffic.
· View the southbound diversion routes
· View the northbound diversion routes
We will be holding two drop-in sessions where residents and businesses can speak with officers and the contractor about the works and any concerns they may have.
· Monday 16 December 2024, 3.30 – 6.30pm at St Joseph's Infant and Junior Schools, Chatsworth Ave, HA9 6BE
· Tuesday 17 December 2024, 3.30 – 6.30pm at Brent Civic Centre, Conference Hall, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ
We acknowledge the disruption and inconvenience this will cause and will do everything we can to minimise disruption and complete the upgrades as quickly as possible. For further information please read our FAQs.
Our roads are under increasing pressure from an ever-growing number of vehicles and the increase in weight of vehicles over the years. The road structure was found to be failing and in a state of disrepair, where short-term fixes were no longer appropriate.
These upgrades have been planned as part of a long-term investment to protect this key route for years to come.
Works are planned to commence from Monday, 13 January 2025 and will be completed by around mid-May.
The Council has been in contact with local communities, businesses, elected representatives and other stakeholders including Emergency services, TFL and London buses to advise of our plans and to implement the upgrades.
Advance signing to notify of the works has been installed and notification letters distributed to the local community.
A running lane will be created to provide access for buses and the Emergency services. Some routes will need to be diverted. For further information or to find out how your bus travel may be affected, please visit the TFL London Buses website.
After discussions with local businesses, residents, and other organisations the option for a general closure was picked, along with access for buses and emergency services only. A part closure of the road would have taken a lot more time and was considered too much of an impact on the local community and businesses.
The council considered a full road closure (all vehicles), and a phased approach leaving different lanes open for traffic. The full closure provided the shortest timescale, but it impacted greatly on the emergency services and bus routes. The phased or lane closure approaches, although less disruptive to general traffic, greatly extended the duration of works.
Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the works. Vehicle access will be permitted to St Joseph’s Church and the underground car parks of the adjacent residential blocks (eastbound only) during phase 1 of the works.
There are no changes to the current parking arrangements along the surrounding roads. For phase two of the works, that will last approx. 1 month, access will not be permitted to St Joseph’s Church and the underground car parks of the adjacent residential blocks.
Shops will stay open throughout the duration of the upgrades. Brent are working closely with local businesses within the area to accommodate their needs to maintain a normal service.
As with any major roadworks, travel times are expected to increase during these upgrades, so please allow extra time to prepare for your journey.
We have put in place diversions, so larger vehicles have clear alternative routes around the roadworks, which should free up other parts of the road network for domestic vehicles. Once motorists become familiar with diversions and find alternative routes, it is anticipated that any congestion will reduce as pressure on the area is alleviated.
If you have any question and would like more information about the planned upgrades or if you have a disability and would like this information in another format, please email Michael Heffernan Public Liaison Officer Michael.heffernan@gwhighways.co.uk or highways.management@brent.gov.uk.
Brent Council licensing today confirmed that the application to run a pre-carnival event in Fryent Country Park on July 5th and July 6th 2025 has been withdrawn and the event will not take place. The application was made by Mingle UK Ltd.
See article on the plans HERE.
Alasdair Balfour, a Queen's Park resident presented a petition to Brent Cabinet today setting out the case for halting the current engagement process:
Background
My name is Alastair Balfour, and I live on Chevening Road in Queen’s Park. A lovely street, in a lovely neighbourhood. I should support the MP Smarter Travel (“MPST”) traffic proposals as they appear to benefit me. But having experienced the utter chaos that the current temporary traffic restrictions have wrought on the wider neighbourhood, it is evident that the proposals are ill conceived, unfair and simply push the problem onto less fortunate neighbours in the ward. These trial schemes have created division among residents and gambled with the health and safety of thousands of children who attend schools on the boundary roads. Sadly, after years of false starts, real damage is being done to our community and to the trust they have in Brent’s approach to this topic.
In the weeks since the MPST meeting on November 4th, our petition has had over 1,400 signatures, a leaflet was produced and delivered to over 2,000 residents, a video has been made and circulated on social media, and newspapers are beginning to pick up the story. This has all been done by volunteers who feel let down, and who care for their neighbourhood. This outpouring of opposition is years in the making.
The MPST engagement is so flawed that it cannot produce reliable results. The catchment thinking is too narrow, the engagement materials were confusing, the online questionnaire was changed mid-engagement and never effectively communicated as promised. There was clearly no technical analysis which stands behind the proposals. And even Councillors and residents benefitting from the schemes oppose the options.
MPST are not traffic management experts, their mission is modal shift and nothing else. They lack clear objectives and indicators of success or failure. And without proper stakeholder definitions, they do not know even who they are solving for.
Proposed Way Forward
We understand that this is a highly complex issue, and we do not have all the answers. But it is patently clear that if this cabinet is serious about improving the situation it needs to start from square one and go back to basics. This requires joined up thinking, reflecting all stakeholders and doing hard work first. We must stop wasting money on projects that are doomed to fail. The skills and resources exist within the community to assist Brent in developing a project roadmap, defining the problems, crafting solutions, thus ensuring transparent engagement and community support. These offers of help and expertise have been rejected in the past. We ask whether Brent will accept them now, especially when budgets are so tight and resources so constrained.
All community groups (including residents associations) have always argued for wider consultation and a genuinely transparent cooperative process. There is a clear view of how to deliver success which can be shared with councillors at the appropriate time. But this must be done with total transparency, coordination, and consensus. Who better to facilitate this than the residents in the community. We understand the complex trade-offs required.
In conclusion, I want to thank you Cllr Butt for giving me the opportunity to speak today, and for confirming that this petition will be considered as part of this engagement process. But if you are serious about finding a path forward, we now need action over and above telling us that we have been heard. I am therefore requesting a commitment from the cabinet to the following three points:
Stop the flawed MPST engagement (it is so tainted that it only fuels anger)
Halt all hyper local traffic schemes until a data-led, wider area impact assessment can be provided
Sit down with local thought leaders to i) define the most pressing traffic problems (focused on boundary roads and schools), ii) agree the process roadmap which the entire community can support and commit real resources behind and iii) to use utmost transparency in all behaviour, data sharing and communication.
We have mobilised a significant amount of support from across the community in recent weeks, and we owe those neighbours an update on how the cabinet responds.
We want to bring everyone together to support the council’s objectives for a healthy neighbourhood – who would not? But we must learn from past mistakes, plan properly and deliver improvements for the many and not just a select few.
The response from Cllr Krupa Sheth, the Lead Cabinet Member responsible for the environment can be seen at 06.20 on the video above, Queen's Park councillor Neil Nerva at 08.17 and and Brent Council Leader, Muhammed Butt at 10.25. You can make you own minds up as to whether they commit to the three points raised by Alasdair Balfour.
After the meet a local resident said:
Many residents watching online were bemused when Cllr Butt said at the end that Brent had 43 or 44 successful Healthy Neighbourhood schemes in place.. One said "We look forward to seeing his list. But I can only imagine he's referring to School Streets? To our knowledge, four years on from the first set of attempts, Brent has just one LTN running - in Harlesden and Stonebridge. A status update on that one was expected last April but has not yet appeared. Four of the first batch were implemented but had to be withdrawn before the trial ended because they were not working.
Later attempts at designing a feasible scheme that could gain community support in Kilburn and Queen's Park Wards have failed - and the current "Engagement" has all the flaws in the speech given this morning"
Credit: Quintainliving.com
Quintain the developer behind the huge Wembley Park project has revealed losses of more that £700m before taxation in delayed 2023 accounts recently filed. This compares with a profit of £140 before taxation in 2022. LINK TO FULL ACCOUNTS
The Quintain board said:
The group has a clear business plan, objectives and an agreed strategy and there have been a number of major events and milestones achieved in the period to December 2023 which have contributed significantly towards achieving those objectives.
During the period and subsequently Quintain have made some sell-offs and also new loan arrangements:
If you are wondering about the 'immediate parent company', Bailey Acquisitions Ltd, there is an explanation. You will note where they are located:
A group of Queens Park residents will present a petition to Brent Cabinet tomorrow calling for the Council to withdraw the latest local traffic scheme proposed for the Queen's Park Healthy Neighbourhood. They want any formal consultation to be deferred pending a clear plan outlining the benefits
The petition is on the Brent Council website HERE
We the undersigned petition the council to register strong opposition from the residents and communities of Queen’s Park, Kensal Rise, Brondesbury Park, and surrounding areas, to Brent Council's hyper-local traffic scheme proposals in a limited area of Queen’s Park. We call on Brent Council to withdraw the latest proposals under the Queen’s Park Healthy Neighbourhood scheme and defer any formal Consultation until a plan is presented with clear benefits that prioritise the health, safety, equality, prosperity, and quality of life for the entire neighbourhood (in and around the designated ‘project zone’) based on strong community support, evidence-based planning, transparent decision-making, and value for money.
The Queen’s Park Healthy Neighbourhood page on Brent Council’s website promises a scheme that “ensures the whole community can benefit from cleaner air and safer, quieter streets…”.
While we welcome and support that aspiration, the trial measures on the streets
connecting Kingswood Avenue and Salusbury Road are diverting traffic
unhelpfully, adversely impacting the broader community, and together with the
new proposals developed by MP Smarter Travel, raise serious concerns regarding:
• Health and safety risks from displaced traffic increasing congestion and pollution within the project zone and on already dangerous and busy boundary roads, including Salusbury and Chamberlayne where thousands of children attend school.
• Failure to consider any impact on adjacent areas like Brondesbury Park, Kensal Rise and North Kilburn, and neglect of vulnerable populations such as the elderly, disabled, and families who cannot rely solely on walking or cycling.
• Unfair prioritisation of select streets at the expense of surrounding areas, imposed without broad community support, based on flawed engagement and inadequate impact assessment, exacerbating inequality and division.
• Unnecessary harm and disruption to residents and businesses in Queen’s Park
and surrounding areas from restricted access.
The Cabinet is at 10am on Monday December 9th and can be viewed online HERE.
