Letter sent to Brent Council re new 1000 Council Housing units on 4th May 2021

Dear Brent,

You are publicising heavily that you are planning to build 1000 new Council homes between 2019 and 2024 in Brent. This aim is more than laudable.

However it looks like most of them will be built in the Kilburn area, ie they will be concentrated in a small land area.

We are aware of the South Kilburn “regeneration”, the Watling Gardens and Windmill Court infills as well as the proposals for Kilburn Square.

Kilburn and Mapesbury are already by far the most densily populated wards in Brent Council. Also the Kilburn ward has around 20% of the total Council Housing Stock on barely 5% of Brent’s landmass.

So the question is very simple. Where, ie on which Estates, will these 1000 Council Housing units be added? Please supply the name of the Estate, the Ward, the number of current Council Housing units on the Estate, the number of new additional Council Housing units on the Estate, and the date of delivery of the additional units on the Estate. Please supply this information as soon as possible.

The second request is for you to hold meaningful consultation events. We attended the consultation event this morning in Kilburn market and were dismayed by the fact that the questions asked relate to matters that do not affect the wider Kilburn population. There is no question on building height, loss of green spaces, bicycle parking, parking/traffic impact on Kilburn, impact on Kilburn historical views, additional facilities like community spaces, GP surgeries, schools and more generally amenity spaces for the massive increase of population in a highly polluted area.

Also of note is the very inconvenient timing of these events. Some people do work and planning these events on week days in the middle of the day is hardly enabling concerned residents to attend and participate. We ask that you either do these events in the evening or on Saturdays.

Looking forward to a prompt response.

Questionnaire handed out on the consultation event below fro illustration.