Brondesbury Park Conservative Cllrs Carol Shaw and Joel Davidson led a team of local residents to Brent Civic Centre last night to object to the imposition of a hostel inside John Barker Court.
Despite a brave and vociferous campaign from the local residents association, Brent Council’s planning committee unanimously approved the plans to impose a homeless hostel inside the established community of John Barker Court.
Cllrs Shaw and Davidson made vigorous representations to the planning committee, reflecting the shoddy treatment which Brondesbury Park residents have received throughout the application process.
The residents of John Barker Court and the surrounding streets were not consulted about this development, and it is extremely arrogant of the Council to allow for such a fundamental change of use to be imposed on our local community entirely against their will.
This whole episode has been a fiasco from the very beginning; vulnerable elderly and disabled tenants previously living in the block were evicted, supposedly due to necessary health and safety works. However, no health and safety works to this building to date have been addressed and the building has remained empty for 6 months
Is it morally right to turf residents out of their home having lived there all their lives, and bring in a new group of homeless tenants who have no connection to the area at all? Brent Council seems to think so.
Cllrs Shaw and Davidson will continue to campaign for residents to ensure that the real concerns raised regarding an increase in anti-social behaviour as a result of this development are addressed.
Further development of the hostel is also planned by Brent Council, and Cllrs Shaw and Davidson will make sure that the Council makes far greater efforts to engage the local community of Brondesbury Park with their proposals.