Showing posts with label King Edward VII Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label King Edward VII Park. Show all posts

Thursday 28 December 2023

Only 3 days left to comment on new boxing club building in King Edward VII Park, Wembley

 

Comments on th new building (above)  to replace the pavilion in King Edward VII Park in Wembley closes on December 31st 2023 although comments received after that date may be considered providing a decision had not already been made.

The planning application comes after a previous application that had proposed refurbishment of the current building (below) . This is now considered not viable due to the poor state of the building:

It should be noted that the Site has an extant planning permission (ref. 22/2526) to refurbish and extend the current pavilion.

However, further investigation has since been undertaken which has uncovered that the building is not structurally capable of facilitating the approved development. Likewise, further feasibility work has been undertaken which established that a far better facility can be provided by instead progressing with a redevelopment option.

The proposed new building is a much bigger footprint than the current building 643square metres compared to 285 square metres and so takes up more of the park. The removal of four trees is proposed.

The application comes from  the Stonebridge Boxing Club previously housed in a building in Wembley High Road  and being redeveloped by Regal. The Club seems to have 'most favoured status' as Regal also ear-marked a 3 storey building at the controversial Wembley Point development for them. Details below:


The Club in a Facebook entry about its temporary premises  that thanks Muhammed Butt, Brent Council leader, seems to expect a move to the park - or perhaps it is going to have two locations?


The Planning and Design Statement states:

Stonebridge Boxing Club was established as a charity in July 2010 and has in excess of 650 members. It is currently located in Fairgate House on Wembley High Road, which has planning permission for redevelopment, and therefore there is a need for a new facility.

 

Accordingly, the proposal is to demolish the existing dilapidated building located in King Edward 7th Park and replace it with a modern, high quality boxing club, which includes gym and sporting facilities, physio, ancillary office space, toilet and change facilities, and a café.

 

It should be noted that the Site has an extant planning permission (ref. 22/2526) to refurbish and extend the current pavilion.

 

However, further investigation has since been undertaken which has uncovered that the building is not structurally capable of facilitating the approved development. Likewise, further feasibility work has been undertaken which established that a far better facility can be provided by instead progressing with a redevelopment option. This is explained in greater detail within this submission.

 

Through considered design development and consultation with London Borough of Brent  the proposals result in the following key public benefits, many of which are either in-line with or in excess of those resulting from the extant permission:

 

• Providing a new, modern boxing facility which will serve the local community;

• Demolishing an unused building and replacing it with a useable recreational facility at the heart of the community that will animate King Edward 7th park and improve safety within it;

• A replacement building of a much higher architectural quality, which enhances the setting of the locally listed park within which it is located, according with Paragraph 197 of the NPPF;

• Landscape improvements and habitat improvements;

• A car free development with cycle parking spaces provided in excess of policy requirements, supporting aspirations for providing sustainable transport solutions in the area;

• A building that provides improved energy efficiency and sustainability to the existing pavilion; and

• Both the construction and operational stages of the development will provide additional employment and investment in the local area.

The architectural quality of the new building has been questioned by local residents who have seen the illustration above and suggest it looks like a temporary metal marque. Is it appropriate for an Edwardian heritage asset:

King Edward VII Park is a locally listed park (a non-designated heritage asset). It was formerly part of Read's Farm and was purchased from Edward Spencer Churchill by Wembley UDC in 1913 and laid out as a public park in memory of the late king and also in compensation for the loss of Wembley Park as public open space. The park was opened on 4 July 1914, reputedly by Queen Alexandra. The park had a lodge, a rustic bandstand and picturesque refreshment pavilion; a children's gymnasium with swings, a giant slide and see-saws, a shallow pond and a drinking fountain. There were facilities for tennis and bowling, and the lower part was laid out for cricket and hockey, separated by a belt of elms. There were gravelled walks and seating, formal planting and numerous beds with shrubs and trees.

At present there is only one comment on the Brent Planning Portal. It refers to practical problems of having a building in the middle of the park with associated access problems that emerged when the previous application was considered LINK:

I am writing to express my objection to this proposal. Not only are we losing valuable green space, but the chosen boxing location appears inadequate and unsuitable.

1. How can people be expected to attend in a location that lacks proper lighting?
2. What measures are in place for parking management?
3. The loss of trees is concerning, especially considering the ongoing reduction of trees in the park. It seems counterintuitive to propose further tree removal.

I fail to understand the rationale behind allowing the establishment of a facility in a location unfit for use and seemingly inappropriate. The current choice appears to be a misguided decision, leading to a loss of space. Additionally, it raises questions about safety, given the inadequate lighting, and the potential risk to people-especially considering they have another location pending approval. Building a large gym in the middle of the park, which is not safe at night, puts more people at risk. Have we forgotten about the previous murder in the park.
Full details on the Brent website HERE


 

 



 


Wednesday 19 July 2023

UPDATED: Police appeal for information after Monday's fatal stabbing in King Edward VII Park, Wembley

 From Metropolitan Police


Detectives are appealing for information after a man was fatally attacked in King Edward VII Park, Wembley.

Formal identification is yet to take place but the man has been provisionally named as Milton Hurlington, 42, of north west London.

Police were called at 21:49hrs on Monday, 17 July to reports of a man in his 40s with a stab injury in the Dene, Wembley, following the attack in the nearby park.

Officers, the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance all attended. Despite the efforts of the emergency services, Mr Hurlington died at the scene.

The investigation is being led by detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command and they have appealed for anyone with information to make contact.

A post-mortem examination has now taken place and established cause of death as blood loss following a stab wound to the arm.

Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, leading the investigation, said: “First and foremost, my thoughts are with Milton’s family and friends at what is an incredibly difficult time. Specialist support is being given by my team, and they will continue to receive this as the investigation progresses.

“At present we believe he sustained his injuries in King Edward VII park and then made his way to the Dene, where residents discovered him and called the emergency services.

“I am really keen to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything out of the ordinary in the park and surrounding areas on Monday 17 July between 6pm and 10:45pm to come forward. Please do not hesitate to get in touch, no matter how insignificant you may think your information to be- it could be the key to our investigation.”

Two man and a woman were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and have been released on bail to return at a future date.

A crime scene remains in place at the location and surrounding areas including Kind Edward VII park where the initial incident is believed to have taken place.

Anyone with any information that could help the investigation should call police on 101 and give reference 8258/17JUL23.

Anyone with images or footage which may help the police can also be uploaded here.

Saturday 3 September 2022

Plans for Boxing Club, Cafe and Toilets in King Eddie's Park Pavilion. Comments by Friday 9th September.

 

 
The Pavilion this week (top hidden in the surrounding trees, bottom, side view)

The long dis-used and vandalised Pavilion in King Edward VII Park, Park Lane, Wembley could be transformed into a home for Stonebridge Box Club and a community resource.

 

The Planning Statement for Planning Application 22/2526 states:

 

The proposal is to alter and extend the pavilion building and to repurpose it for use by Stonebridge Boxing Club, including gym and physio facilities and showers. A small café and external seating area would also be provided at ground floor, and office at first floor. The Building would upgrade the building by using renewable energy where possible such as Air Source Heat Pump (“ASHP”), Photovoltaic Panels (“PV Panels”).

 

Rather optimistically it is claimed that revenue from the cafe would help subsidise the maintenance and management of the building.  There would be two members of staff.

 

Opening hours would be 8am to 9pm in Summer and 8am to 7pm in Winter. 

 


 

 


There are some beautiful mature trees close to the building and new Brent Principal Trees Officer, Julie Hughes, takes a welcome tough approach in her report, proposing several protection measures after stating:

 

The site falls within a public open space owned by Brent Council. None of the trees on the site are protected by TPO however this does not mean that they are not important, merely that because the Council are considered to be a responsible landowner, that a TPO is not really justified.


The proposed extension to the pavilion building will effectively double the current extent of footprint to the SW. I would ideally like to see the extension moved to sit wholly outside of the Root Protection Area of T10; a category B Lime tree. 

 

When I visited the park earlier this week and chatted to people, I was told that the police had been called to the pavilion recently after an incident and the area was used for drinking, drug taking and other activities. There is currently just one CCTV camera in the pavilion vicinity and no lighting. People were adamant that lighting would be required if the pavilion is to stay open after dark as it is sited some 200 metres from the Park Lane entrance in the centre of the park and party concealed from the road by trees and vegetation.

 

Young people walking through the park on dark evenings after using the Boxing Club facilities might be in some danger unless adequate preventative measures taken.

 

Overall, those I spoke to were keen on the idea of a cafe and welcomed the availability of toilets. One person said that was much better than children (and others?) having to 'go behind a tree.' I was told that since the new residential developments in the High Road, Wembley, and the enclosure of Copland Fields, the park was very busy in the afternoons and this was likely to be the peak time for the cafe.

 

The present state of the building and the uses it has been put to is evident from these photographs.


The question posed was, "Will this new project discourage current ‘anti-social' behaviour or would such behaviour pose a threat to the success of the £1.6m project?"

 

Thinking about the 'broken window' theory it might help if the notice-boards at the entrance to the park were properly maintained. The information about local councillors is out of date and a poor impression is given for anyone visiting for the first time.  Only one person I spoke to knew (vaguely) that there were plans for the pavilion. Everyone else was surprised. There were no planning notices around the pavilion area and none on the notice boards.

 


 


 

The Bowling Green and its building remains locked up behind fencing and the previously immaculately kept green is now a sun scorched meadow.

 


 

I understand that Fields in Trust, who have an interest in the park going back some years, will be added to statutory consultees and members of the public can submit their views on the Brent Council Planning Portal.  Neighbourhood Consultation closes on Friday 9th September 2022. LINK



Sunday 24 June 2018

More on the state of Brent's parks & the 'meadows' debate


There's quite a debate going on regarding the state of Brent's parks on social media.  The 'creation' of meadows  was a decision based on saving money (£0.5m) backed by a claim that it would support natural diversity LINK. It has been implemented by  simply  not cutting the grass. Some are happy for sections of the parks to be left unmown hoping it will provide diversity for nature but others point out that real wild flower meadows need proper planning and maintenance.

Local resident Jaine Lunn succeeded in persuading Brent Council and their contractor Veolia to reduce the unmown area  in King Edward VII park to enable children to play ball games

Meanwhile a reader has sent me the above photograph of the 'cricket pitch' at King Edward VII park in Wembley commenting, 'I forgot how much they spent on doing this but they shouldn't have bothered.'

There is an extensive discussion about the issue on the View from Dollis Hill Facebook page regarding Gladstone Park. LINK

As a contribution to the meadows debate here are pictures of the meadows and 'scrape' at Mason's Field in Kingsbury where the Barn Hill Conservation Group has transformed a former playing field into a meadow. The transformation involved a substantial amount of work by volunteers including planting thousands of plug plants. See LINK.

Similar work was done at the University of Westminster wild flower meadow which is hand-scythed at the end of the season.

Mason's Field on Friday:


By contrast this is a view of one of the Gladstone Park meadows:



Thursday 21 June 2018

Council must tackle the neglect of King Eddie's Park and make us proud to love where we live!

Jaine Lunn wrote to Brent Council along the following lines:

The state of Edward VII Park ('King Eddies' to locals)  is no longer a joke.

It is evident it is only going to get worse now the summer has kicked in.  The level of anti-social behaviour is off the scale.  We need some serious intervention now.  Signs informing users of the by-laws in the park, no BBQ's, no fires, Single men exercising in the children's playground make families uneasy.  Scooters, cars, and ice-cream vans driving around like it's normal.  Drug dealing and drinking.   We all have photographic evidence.  Everyone knows why our only green open space municipal park is like this: lack of enforcement and shit maintenance by Veolia.  Whoever signed the contract should be fired.  
 
How dare the council have such contempt for residents who pay for public services via their Council Tax.

No doubt King Edward V11 and his wife Queen Alexander must be turning in the graves, after all this was bought by the council back in 1913 for approx £8,000 to compensate the residents for the loss of green space in Wembley NoPark when they commenced development for the Stadium and subsequent Empire Exhibition.   The fact that Brent Council signed an agreement to protect the park with "Fields in Trust in 2012 as the plaque on Collins Lodge states and has won "Borough of Culture for 2020" makes a mockery of the whole thing unless you stop this now.  I will make it my personal mission to embarrass the Council every opportunity I can find if this is not resolved asap.

Might I also add, all Brent parks had Green Flags awarded 10 years ago, now the fact that we are at no. 14 out of 20 on the 20 London Borough Park List, is shameful.  The NHS state that parks and green open spaces save them millions of ££££££££££££s in benefit to general public.  Cleaner Brent, Cleaner Air, you are having a laugh?  Practice what you preach.

We have enough CIL money in Wembley to do the job, create legacy, and make us proud to "LOVE WHERE WE LIVE".

Tuesday 29 August 2017

King Eddies park in better days

Guest blog by Philip Grant
 
A recent blog LINK  told of the sad decline of Wembley’s King Edward VII Park, but this reminded me of some information and old photos that I could share with you from the park’s early years.

Wembley as a place has existed since Saxon times, with the first documentary record of “Wemba lea” (Wemba’s clearing in the forest) dating from AD825. My late Wembley History Society colleague, Len Snow LINK  was fond of saying that football fans, singing their way to Wembley Stadium, had actually got the name right! But it was not until 1894 that Wembley became a separate local government area, splitting off from Harrow as Wembley Urban District, and although small in population (only around 4,500 people lived here in 1901), it had some big ideas.

One of the schemes to provide a better place to live for its residents was to open its own municipal public park, and in 1913 it bought 26 acres of farmland in Blind Lane (not far from its developing High Road) for £8,050. By the next summer the park was ready, and on 4 July 1914 it was officially opened by Queen Alexandra (by then the Queen Mother), and named King Edward VII Park in memory of her late husband.




These first two photos were taken on the day of the opening, with many of Wembley’s citizens there in their “Sunday best” clothes to enjoy the event. The musical entertainment from the bandstand was almost certainly provided by the Wembley Town Band, which had been set up in 1910, with its smart green and silver uniforms paid for by local benefactor, Titus Barham. The school next to the park had opened in 1911 as Blind Lane Council School (the first set up in the area by Wembley Urban District Council, rather than Middlesex County Council), and with the change in the name of the road to mark the opening, it became Park Lane Primary. Like every good park, King Eddie’s had a children’s playground!




Some WM readers may recognise these photographs from Geoffrey Hewlett’s  “Images of London” book on Wembley (Tempus Publishing, 2002), and they are from a remarkable collection built up by Wembley History Society from the 1950’s onwards, including many donated by an important local photographer before he died in 1958, which is now held at Brent Museum and Archives.

These pictures were almost certainly taken by that photographer, Kuno Reitz, who was born in Munich in 1876, but moved to England in 1911, spending most of the rest of his life as a freelance photographer in Wembley. Just a month after King Edward VII Park opened, and these excellent photos were taken, England declared war on Germany, entering the “Great War” a week after it had first begun, because Germany had invaded neutral Belgium. Reitz was classed as an enemy alien, and spent at least part of the war years building roads, possibly for army camps and training grounds, in Northumberland.

Luckily, he returned to Wembley after the war, and the last photo is one he definitely took, for a “Wembley Guide” booklet published by the Urban District Council in 1930. The clothes may have changed a little by the inter-war years, but it was still a great place for children to play. Let’s hope that, despite the decline caused by cost-cutting and contracting out, the people of Wembley can still enjoy King Eddie’s Park for another century or more.



Saturday 19 August 2017

The sad decline of King Edward VII park in Wembley

On the day that Brent planning officers issued final approval for Tottenham Hotspurs' increase in full capacity events at the Stadium LINK I had sight of several emails from residents about the deterioration of King Edward VII Park on Park Lane.

As emissions from heavy vehicles, noise and dust pervade the area because of all the demolition and building work in the area King Eddies has become more important as a peaceful haven.

However budget cuts mean that the park itself is no longer regularly patrolled by wardens, waste paper bins are not emptied, graffiti has appeared on benches, and late night social drinking has increased with associated littering.

The long running drainage problem LINK remains and may have been worsened by the paving over of back gardens in houses bordering the park.  The Council is trying to persuade Thames Water to renew the main pipe.

One resident wrote:
  1. Drug dealing - we have an ongoing problem with Drug Dealers dealing in the Park from approx 12.00 noon till late evening.  Despite numerous and consistent efforts by our local SNT the problem is ongoing.   They have no qualms about dealing in full view of the public, smoking around the children's play area.  The Police do not have the resources to be there everyday to deter and disrupt these youths.
  2. Anti-Social Behaviour - there are still a hardcore group of drinkers who visit the park daily, especially early evening and remain long after the park is supposedly locked at night.  No only do they smash bottles and leave cans and cigarette butts all around, the are not averse to using anywhere as a public toilet.  It has been noted on many occasions that some are so drunk they think nothing of exposing themselves in broad daylight urinating in full view of park users.  This has to be stopped immediately.
  3. In recent years we have had 4 stabbings in King Eddies, numerous Robbery's of phones and gold jewellery from young Asian mums who have been threatened with violence against their children in pushchairs to give up their possessions, again totally unacceptable, many of which now avoid the park at all costs. 
Although there are currently no funds for it one suggestion coming from residents is the refurbishment of the pavilion to include toilets. Having no toilet facilities available is a disincentive to use of the sports pitches,

King Edward VII Park was formerly a Green Flag winner but Brent Council withdrew from that scheme when it out-sourced parks maintenance to Veolia - it would not merit the ward at the moment.

Surely with millions being spent on the Quintain redevelopment sime CIL funds could be found to bring the park up to standard?

Wednesday 23 November 2016

Frolicking dog exposes King Eddie's Park drainage failure




A Wembley Matters reader has supplied this footage of flooding earlier this week in King Edward VII Park, Wembley.

A large area of the park was out of use for a long time when Brent Council spent more than £350,000 on drainage and other works. LINK

 

Saturday 21 May 2016

Possible bid to make Bowls Club Pavilion a community hub for Wembley


Friends of King Eddie's Park are holding a meeting to discuss making an application for a community hub at the Bowls Pavilion in King Edward VII Park, Park Lane, Wembley.

The future of the disused pavilion was the cause of consideral local controversy when the Welsh School, expelled from its Stonebridge Primary School site as a result of redevelopment proposals, applied to runs its school in the park. The bid failed.

Meeting details from Friends of King Eddies:
When: 7pm Tuesday 24th May 2016

Where: Ujima House, 388 High Road Wembley (above Honey Pot Nursery)

Why: Brent Council have put the Bowls Pavilion back on the market with end of May deadline for submissions.

This is our last chance to create a Community Hub in King Eddie's Park for park goers, the people of Wembley and Brent

We submitted a proposal in December 2015 that was rejected.


Friday 1 April 2016

Residents' 'grave concerns' over Wembley 'Twin Towers' proposal

Impression from the developers's consultation
 Brent Planning Committee will be visiting the Chesterfield House site at the junction of Park Lane. Wembley High Road at 9.40am on Saturday April 2nd. This is the 'twin towers proposal LINK

Planning Committeee members have been sent the following in  advance of their visit by Denise Cheong,  Former Chair, Friends of King Eddie's Park, Friendsofkingeddies.blogspot.com
Wembleychampions.blogspot.com :
Dear Planning Committee members, Wembley Central Ward Cllrs, Preston Ward Cllrs, Hub Group and Council Planning Case Officer

I understand the planning committee are due to visit the above site tomorrow (Saturday 2nd April) morning regarding planning application 15/4550.

I write to kindly urge the Planning Committee to give the following viewpoint due weight during their deliberations whilst they conduct tomorrow's site visit.

Please note during your site visit that (at the time of writing) several local residents from Princes Court and Keswick Gardens Residents Association, as well as members of neighbouring Park Lane Methodist Church are opposed to the height and scale of the proposed scheme.

Whilst residents appreciate the City's need for greater housing provision and welcome Hub Group's proposed donation to the Council for King Eddie's Park, we have grave concerns over the impact of a development that will be (although set back, at its heighest) twice the height of the opposite existing Elm Court flats and nearly three times the height of the existing Chesterfield House office block.

Mr Neidhardt notes in his report that pedestrian accidents have occurred at the junction of Park Lane and the High Road. This is a notoriously difficult junction for local residents to walk across. Please observe the existing pedestrian crossings at the junction during your site visit and consider the impact the proposed will have on the area even with any alterations from Transport For London (TFL) to the junction. Also, kindly observe the existing bus stops in the vicinity on the High Road which TFL note already operate at full capacity. You may also possibly observe heavy traffic queues on Park Lane tomorrow (as discussed at last year's planning committees for planning application 14/4208, heavy traffic from the junction of High Rd and Park Lane down past The Methodist Church and King Edward VII Park is a norm on Park Lane, and further evidence of the real need for this junction to be re-worked).

I await further communication from other resident members of the aforementioned plus neighbouring roads. I will update you all as soon as I have collated such responses and prior to Wednesday 6th April's Planning Committee.



Tuesday 29 March 2016

UPDATED: Now a Monster 'Twin Towers' for Park Lane/Wembley High Road


Having recently posted LINK a story about the 'monster' that Barnet Council and Barratt Homes have erected on the banks of the Welsh Harp it pains me to see that Brent Council are proposing a 'twin towers' development in the heart of Wembley in which the highest tower is only 3 storeys lower than the West Hendon development.

The developer's, The Hub Group. in their own illustration of the proposed scheme LINK cut off the upper storeys but it is clear that the new buildings will dwarf the Wembley High Road and as I showed with the West Hendon building will dominate the local landscape. I fear it will loom over Park Lane Primary School and King Edward VII Park which are further up Park Lane.


The Officer's Report LINK states that despite the issues around height they support the application in the wider context of regeneration and ongoing changes to the local buildings profile:

As with the Brent House application the planners recognise that the amount of amenity space in the development is deficient but tolerate that on the grounds that it is a town centre development with space constraints.

The report has a long section on the issue of 'affordable housing' on the site and viability studies. The proposal that emerged is that the North block will have affordable housing consisting of:

33 units at London Housing Allowance levels (LHA)

35 units at 80% of Open Market Rents (OMR)

The other units in the block would be let at open market rents:

35 units at  private sector rents - full market rents (PSR)

The 136 units in the South Block will be sold on the open market.

The officers contend that this is better than the initial 43% 'affordable' offer from The Hub Group because that offer was time limited and the eventual agreement is in perpetuity.

Whichever way the 50% affordable target has not been met.

The report notes that no representations have been received from councillors in the affected wards of Preston, Wembley Central and Tokyngton.

Ground floor plan (added in response to a comment below)




Friday 8 January 2016

Frustration over worsening situation in King Edward VII Park


The above scene was what confronted parents yesterday morning when they attempted to take their children to Park Lane Primary School, Wembley, via the St Johns Road entrance to King Edward VII Park, instead they had to take a detour to avoid the pond.

Since Wembley Matters first raised the issue of the works going on in the park LINK  a notice has been put with a telephone contact for information but a resident contacted me yesterday to say that a promised call back had not happened.



The drainage works on the playing field that started last August were supposed to take just 5 weeks at a cost of £350,000. Residents point out that the cost of fencing hire alone must have significantly increased that expenditure and of course a large part of the park is now inaccessible and the drainage is worse than ever.

Inevitably they ask how a cash-strapped council can let this situation continue.


Monday 14 December 2015

King Edward VII Park, Wembley - an explanation from Brent Council

The following explanation has been sent to Cllr Stopp regarding the works in King Edwrd VII Park, Wembley

The works taking place at King Edwards Park are to improve the quality and drainage of the five football pitches, and the cricket pitch on site, which have historically been of poor quality. This project commenced in August, and was originally expected to be concluded with 5-6 weeks; however, a number of issues- including the discovery of a buried electricity power cable and an unregistered gas pipe running across the site- resulted in delays whilst we liaised with the utility companies, and unfortunately the colder and wetter weather we're now experiencing means that the final cultivations (which rely on dry ground conditions and higher temperatures) cannot currently take place.

The specific status of the works is as follows:

Part A: Site remodelling of King Edward VII Park

All works have been completed aside from final cultivations, sand amelioration and seeding.  Final cultivations rely on dry ground conditions and as expected, ground conditions are unsuitable for these works.  These works will be completed at the earliest opportunity in Spring once the soils have dried sufficiently.  It is envisaged that these works will take a maximum of 3 weeks to complete before seed is in the ground.  Once seeded the pitches will be green within 1 week to 10 days.

Part B: Maintenance of Football pitches (not including Cricket square)

The maintenance works will begin once the seed is germinated and ready to cut.

Part C: Cricket square construction

This element of the works have been completed in full

Part D: Cricket square maintenance

The maintenance works will begin once the seed is germinated and ready to cut.

The contractors will ensure the site is secure before winter. They will also come to site in the next couple of days to verti-drain and overseed the track way and make good damage caused by the caterpillar digger.


Unfortunately therefore, it is now unlikely that some of the works will be concluded before better weather in the spring, and the temporary fencing will need to remain in place until then.

We have asked for some fresh signage to be placed on site explaining the delays, and hope that this will be in place within the next week or so.

We are also attempting to locate the source of the smell that is being reported.

Clearly there is a need to keep yourselves, the Friends of Group and all interested parties abreast of the latest developments.

I am sorry this has not properly happened to now. I will personally schedule regular updates.

Saturday 12 December 2015

UPDATED; What on earth is happening in King Eddie's park?


Local residents have contacted me to ask if I know what is happening in King Edward VII Park in Wembley where the sports field remains a churned up soggy mess surrouneed by fencing.

One resident wrote:
The main field of King Edwards Park is STILL fenced off (nearly 4 months now, despite a notice saying some disruption for up to 5 weeks) The West side of the park smells really bad….(drainage still an issue??)  Lots of the regular users  the joggers, walkers, dog owners, have stopped using it, and its getting quite ‘creepy’ walking in itdue to the big pile of sand, and the fence you can’t really see  whats around the corner…..especially on these dark afternoons and mornings…

Also there has been a particularly unsavoury character hanging around the ‘bunker building’  who shouts and spits at passers by.

I’ve tried Brent Council, Parks dept.  the local councillor but no response…so I was just wondering if you had any suggestions? 
The short reply is that poor drainage is being replaced but why the delay is a mystery. Weather may be blamed but actually it has been unusually mild or perhaps a spring has been discovered under what used to be a meadow. Whatever the answer what is not in doubt is that this is costing a considerable sum of money.

An FoI request got this response from the Council:
-->
The total cost is approximately £300k of which £93k is grant funding from the Mayor of London (via The Football Foundation) sports facilities fund and Sport England ‘s Protecting playing fields fund.
Which leaves £207,000 from Council funds.

UPDATE
Since publication Cllr Sam Stopp (Wembley Central) has written to the appropriate Brent Council Officer as below:

I have previously made enquiries (although not directed to you) about the situation in King Eddie's Park, Wembley Central. Several residents have brought to me concerns about developments in the park and I am asking that the Council clarifies matters.

Residents have raised a number of concerns, including the unexplained fencing off of the main field in the park, as well as a foul smell in the west side of the park (associated with drainage issues).

Please could we have some information about what on earth is going on? Ward councillors have not been informed and residents deserve to know. It was not that long ago that we saved the park from being built on - I had hoped its importance to the community would be better recognised as a result.

Wednesday 4 March 2015

Welsh School planning application for King Edward VII Park refused

Campaigners are celebrating tonight after Brent Planning Committee refused the planning application to site the London Welsh School in Wembley's King Edward VII Park.

The application was defeated  decisively with 6 votes against and  1 abstention.

Denise Cheong and other residents, helped by local councillors, fought a spirited campaign reaching deep into the local community.

Denise and  Paolo Di Paolo both spoke on behalf of residents and Cllrs Stopp, Hossain and Mitchell-Murray addressed the committee.

It was unfortunate for the London Welsh School that the chosen site was so controversial. The school is unique and very special and I hope they are sucessful at finding a more suitable alternative site.