A ONCE in a lifetime £320 million regeneration project that will create hundreds of family homes and employment opportunities at Kodak’s former UK headquarters has been given the go-ahead by Harrow Council last night.
The exciting new development is among the largest in Harrow for a generation. It aims to build an entire community from scratch across 40 acres of land which was once home to Kodak’s national headquarters. The decade-long project on the site in Harrow View will be delivered by developers Land Securities.
A new park filled with wildflower meadows, playgrounds and water features will replace the concrete landscape and privately owned football pitches at Zoom leisure. The new parks and spaces will be enjoyed by all, together with new residents from up to 985 new homes earmarked for construction – 20 per cent of which will be earmarked for affordable and social housing. The community will also be served by a new primary school and a health centre which could include a GPs’ surgery, dentists, physio, crèche, pharmacy, and community centre.
Economic growth will be encouraged with the potential to create 1,500 new jobs from the small to medium sized business enterprises that will take advantage of the 380,000 sq ft of new employment space over the next 15 years. The development will also enable environmental improvements between Wealdstone, Harrow and Wealdstone Station, and the Kodak site - especially for pedestrians and cyclists.
Harrow Council Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development, Cllr Keith Ferry, said: “This is a once in a lifetime chance to create a positive future for this important site and will leave a long lasting legacy for future generations. This area is at the economic heart of the borough and essential for the prosperity of the whole of Harrow.
“Its future matters to everyone who lives here. Despite the difficult economic climate, the council has worked hard with Land Securities to ensure the surrounding area is able to enjoy the benefits of this new investment. Not only are we providing much needed homes – we are creating job opportunities and reducing unemployment.”
The early phases of the project will focus on a ten acre plot of land in the south-eastern corner close by to Harrow Crown Court. The other section for immediate development will be the 20 acres on the other side of Harrow View occupied by the former ‘Zoom Leisure’ sports centre, its car park, and playing fields. The ambitious project is part of Harrow Council’s long-term vision for the regeneration of the borough called ‘The Heart of Harrow’. Harrow Council’s masterplan will guide the way Wealdstone, Station Road, and Harrow Town Centre is developed over the next few decades.
The Heart of Harrow project aims to bring up to £1 billion of investment into the Borough, including new businesses, creating 3,000 jobs, building 2,800 new homes and delivering the infrastructure needed from parks and leisure to health and schools. Lead by Harrow Council, in partnership with the GLA the project forms the cornerstone of a long term plan to manage change and regeneration across the borough which has been the subject of consultation and engagement with the community and local groups for the past three years.
Land Securities Head of Development Collette O’Shea, added: “We are absolutely delighted that Harrow Council has approved plans for the Kodak site, which will allow for the delivery of this important regeneration opportunity in West London. It is very heartening for everyone who has been working hard in the preparation of this application.
“The support of Harrow Council has been critical and since the earliest public events in 2010, it has become clear that the Kodak site is of great local interest with an important heritage legacy.
“These proposals will breathe new life into Harrow, create jobs, and greatly enhance the public green space and amenities in the area enabling this genuinely inspirational place to be at the heart of the borough.”
