Impression of the Cecil Avenue blocks, High Road, Wembley
Brent Council’s press releases are notable for what
they leave out as much as what they include. The latest heralding new homes on
the Cecil Road, Wembley site (formerly Copland School) and Ujima House on the
other side of the road (See PR below) leaves out vital information pursued by
Philip Grant in several guest posts on Wembley Matters. LINK LINK
Brent
Council received planning permission for this development more than two years
ago (February 2021). On the latest information only 37 of the 250 homes at
Cecil Avenue will be for London Affordable Rent (LAR), and the 54 LAR
homes promised for the Ujima House site (which still only has outline planning
permission) are not expected to be delivered until 2026.
The Wembley Housing Zone scheme is Shama Tatler's
responsibility - she talks it up in the press release. Cllr Tatler and Muhammed
Butt must bear the blame for the details and delay over the provision of these
home.
Reacting
to the Council press release on Twitter this morning Cllr Anton Georgiou (Lib
Dem Alperton) asked:
Will these be
Council homes for Council tenants? Genuinely affordable family homes? Or more
of the same? We need answers and clarity, not just headline figures.
The Brent Council Press Release
Deal
signed to deliver more than 300 new homes in Wembley
More
much-needed housing will soon be a reality following an agreement to build 304
new homes in Wembley.
A
deal was signed this week between Brent Council and Wates to deliver 250 homes
on land east of Cecil Avenue, which had previously been the site of Copland
School. The plan is for a high-quality, mixed-tenure courtyard development of
five to nine storeys with one-bed, two-bed, three-bed and four-bed apartments and
maisonettes. The new development will also house commercial units and community
floorspace at street level.
Opposite
this site at Ujima House, another 54 homes will be built, along with workspace
units, including a café at street level.
A
total of 152 homes will be made available for private sale on the Cecil Avenue
site. The other 152 properties on both Cecil Avenue and Ujima House will be a
mixture of affordable homes for council tenants and people on middle incomes.
Councillor
Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning, and Growth, said:
“This is fantastic news for residents of this up-and-coming area. The vision is
to revitalise the eastern end of the High Road of the town centre, linking the
established Wembley Central to the new Wembley Park neighbourhood emerging
around the stadium.”
Designated
and partly funded by the Mayor of London, the Wembley Housing Zone aims to
create new homes and jobs, new leisure, retail and workspaces, public realm
improvements and increased accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists and road
users.
Nick
Williams, Regional Managing Director at Wates, said: “Our guiding principle is
that everyone deserves a great place to live, and these modern new homes will
be warm, comfortable and safe to live in. Not only that but we will be working
with the local community to deliver these mixed-tenure homes. This means
employing the services of local businesses and people along the way to help
regenerate the area and inspire a new community.”
The
new development agreement represents another opportunity for Brent Council and
Wates to collaborate. The two organisations are currently working together to
create 99 new council homes at Church End and have recently successfully
delivered 149 homes at Knowles House and Anansi House.