Member Article

Multi-million pound Harrow regeneration plans get go-ahead

The biggest ever regeneration plan in Harrow has been given the green light by the council.

The Labour council unanimously voted in favour of the proposals, paving the way for a new purpose built civic centre, around 1,000 new homes, including 400 affordable homes to be built as part of a significant investment into the community.

The ‘Heart of Harrow’ plans will be built at no cost to the taxpayer and will be the catalyst for a transformation in Wealdstone injecting millions into the area creating new jobs and opportunity.

Harrow Council leader, David Perry said: “I am delighted our proposals have been passed. Now the real work can start to building a better Harrow together, for today, and for future generations. Over the past few years the council has evolved and the Civic Centre is no longer suited to our needs. “These plans will allow us to create a smaller and modern building for our staff, but will also release under used land to build 1,000 new homes.

In February, the council secured a £31.1m investment that will see a 1,679 new homes built, just under 40 per cent of which will be affordable, along with two new primary schools, two new town squares, enhancements to playing pitches and sports facilities and a host of other infrastructure improvements.

Perry continued: “We are creating the places and the opportunities that our communities deserve: a thriving, modern and vibrant borough that makes Harrow a home to be proud of. We want all of our residents to help us with these plans and I have set up a resident’s panel, which met this week to help us design a new hub for the people of Harrow. I look forward to working with them in the coming months.”

The new Civic Centre would be built on the site of the Peel House car park in Wealdstone. At less than 10,000 square meters, the site is just a fifth of the size of the current Civic Centre. Work on the project is expected to start by 2017 and the new building could be completed by 2019

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .