Long-awaited plans to redevelop a derelict part of North London are set to be unveiled this month, with the scheme expected to deliver more than 1,000 homes, alongside a new leisure centre, hotel, and parks.
The project is part of a £600m investment into the Hillside Regeneration Corridor in Stonebridge.
Brent Council is working with Stonebridge Real Estate Development Limited (SRED) to redevelop Bridge Park and the neighbouring land currently occupied by the Unisys buildings – a former office complex which has been derelict for more than 20 years.
The plans, which will be exhibited at two events in November for residents to give their view, show the existing Bridge Park Leisure Centre more than doubling in size, with the inclusion of a new swimming pool, sports hall, gym, meeting rooms, and a café.
Alongside redevelopment of the leisure centre, the scheme is expected to deliver more than 1,000 new homes, as well as new parks and green spaces, a new 263-room hotel, and workspaces. Developers claim the designs are worked up to ‘maximise the environmental benefits of the new buildings and encourage sustainable and active travel’.
The existing Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre has ‘reached the end of its useable life’, according to Brent Council. The current condition of the building requires substantial investment to keep the site open, including major works to the lifts and other parts of the building, which the council claims is not affordable.
The outline proposal would, therefore, mean that the building would close next year with a decision on whether the project is to go ahead expected in early 2025. The redevelopment is part of a wider plan to invest in a number of sites alongside Hillside Corridor, including Bridge Park, Morland Gardens, Twybridge Way, and Bernard Shaw House.
Leader of Brent Council, Cllr Muhammed Butt, said: “Bridge Park has always been a symbol of community and togetherness.
“So, as the building comes to the end of its life, it’s important that we do justice to both its history but also to what comes next. We take that responsibility very seriously.”
He added: “We’ve listened to what residents have told us they want in a new, state-of-the-art centre.
“Our proposals not only provide a new Bridge Park Leisure Centre but expand and improve it for future generations. Wider plans for investing in the site will create new opportunities for everyone in Stonebridge, as well as desperately needed new homes.”
SRED Director, Mohammed Al-Miqdadi, is ‘excited’ to be working with the council to bring forward the ‘transformative vision’ for Bridge Park. Mr Al-Miqdadi added: “We’re proud to be delivering much-needed new homes, including affordable housing options, as well as creating hundreds of job opportunities across the hotel and leisure sectors.
“This major investment into Stonebridge will enrich the area and catalyse wider regeneration, whilst building on Bridge Park’s legacy as a place for connection, activity, and opportunity for all.”
