Controversial Plans to Demolish Victorian Community Centre Face Brent Council Decision
A contentious proposal to demolish a Victorian-era community centre in North London and replace it with a modern four-storey office and training block is scheduled for a crucial decision next week. Brent Council's planning committee will review the application concerning the Community Centre and Harriet Tubman House at 26 and 28 Hazel Road in Kensal Green.
Charity's Vision for a New Training Hub
The social mobility charity Making The Leap, which purchased the building from Brent Council in 2002, is seeking to construct a new state-of-the-art training centre. The proposed development would include a training room, workspace, job search and IT facilities, a social hub, and a roof terrace. The charity argues that the existing 1890s structure, originally built as a Victorian 'mission room' for religious services, is now dated and not fit-for-purpose.
In planning documents, Making The Leap states that the current building can no longer accommodate the needs of the approximately 8,000 young people from less-advantaged backgrounds it serves annually. The charity highlights that reuse and retrofit opportunities are limited due to the building's small spaces and weight restrictions on the Transport for London tunnels beneath the site, which sits above train lines serving Kensal Green Underground and Overground station.
Local Opposition and Heritage Concerns
The plan has ignited significant opposition from local residents, councillors, and the Kensal Green Residents Association (KGRA), with 134 objection letters submitted. Critics argue that the demolition would result in the loss of a heritage building and harm the local area. One resident suggested the developers are being greedy by proposing a four-storey structure, while another expressed concern over the loss of community space for vulnerable groups.
The KGRA claims the development would tower over surrounding streets, dominating Hazel Road and the adjacent Hazel Road Open Space park, labelling it a case of over-development in an already highly developed area.
Council Assessment and Balancing Act
Brent Council officers have acknowledged that the proposal would lead to the demolition of Harriet Tubman House, considered a non-designated heritage asset of low to medium significance. However, they argue that the public benefits of enhanced community infrastructure would outweigh this harm. The officers have recommended approval, stating the redevelopment would address a local need for community space and benefit the area.
Despite the opposition, some residents support the plans, with one noting it would benefit the community and uplift the area dramatically. The application is set for review at Brent Council's Planning Committee meeting on February 11, where a final decision will be made on whether the redevelopment can proceed.
