Green Neighbourhoods

• New permanent School Street Schemes at John Keble, Leopold and St Mary’s CofE Primary Schools.
• New trees planted on Church Road High Street.
• Greening at Hawkshead Road outside Leopold Primary school, including rain garden and seating.
• Our first re-use and repair pop-up event which took place at the Church End & Roundwood Unity Centre in February 2023.
• New Library of Things at Willesden Green Library (linked to project, estimated 20 min walk from Church End & Roundwood Green Neighbourhood).
• New Bike Hangars on Springwell Avenue, Burns Road, Crownhill Road, Franklyn Road, Essex Road, Chadwick Road, St Albans Road, Hawkshead Road
• New Electric Vehicle Charge Points on Drayton Road, Longstone Avenue, West Ella Road, Essex Road, Roundwood Road, Charlton Road, Laybourne Road
• Development of a local Climate Community Action Group which meets on a regular basis
• Area-wide Green Corridor feasibility study (see below for further details and the main report)
• Community Orchard at Longstone Avenue Open Space

Overview

As part of delivering the Church End and Roundwood Green Neighbourhood Action Plan, Brent Council and Sustrans have been working with residents to identify travel routes that encourage walking, wheeling, cycling, and greening in the neighbourhood. 

During 2023 (March-November) residents took part in a series of in-person and online engagement activities to discuss the green corridor routes, and projects that would be supported by residents. Informed by these discussions, and an analysis of data, such as traffic and speeds, collisions and air quality, Sustrans developed a series of recommendations to consider taking forward. These included the implementation of highway and greening interventions across four focus areas.

1. Modal filters - to help transform the neighbourhood by removing non-local traffic
2. Church Path - a unique traffic free route through the area with a lot of untapped potential
3. Longstone Avenue - to open up the cemetery as a usable north south route and connect three green spaces and a school
4. Fawcett Road - to improve road safety and the public realm and create key connections through the neighbourhood

This was supplemented by options to be considered for Roundwood Road and Oldfield Road, and green infrastructure improvements to Franklyn Road Open Space, Longstone Avenue Open Space, and Roundwood Park Annex.

Further details of the recommendations are provided in the ‘Church End and Roundwood Green Corridor Feasibility Report’ and supporting appendixes 

• Church End and Roundwood Green Corridors Feasibility Report
• Appendix 1 - Church End and Roundwood Green Corridors Data Analysis Report
• Appendix 2 - Church End and Roundwood Green Corridors Community Engagement Report
• Appendix 3 - Church End and Roundwood Green Corridors Concept Designs and Visuals

Some documents may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. Please contact us to request accessible format of the above documents.

Making it happen

Moving forward, Brent Council will focus on progressing projects that are likely to have a significant impact on supporting active travel and greening, and can be delivered in the short to medium term – including any quick wins.

• A community orchard was planted with residents at Longstone Avenue Open Space in March 2023.
• Funding has been secured to introduce trial modal filters in the neighbourhood in 2024/25. Design work is underway. Subject to the outcome of consultation, Brent Council would then aim to introduce any measures on an 18-month trial basis using an Experimental Traffic Order.
• 8 new bike Hangars will be installed.
• 2 new EVCPs will be installed
• 2 electric vehicle charging points will be installed (Armstrong Road and Mayo Road)
• Crownhill Road school streets will be expanded to include St Johns Road, Burns Road and Harlesden Gardens.
• Greening will be delivered at Crownhill Road outside John Keble, St Claudine’s and Maple Walk schools.
• Biodiversity improvements at Willesden New Cemetery.

Brent Council has and will continue to seek external funding to progress with the recommended projects.

External funding opportunities are competitive and often many times oversubscribed. This year, applications have been made to the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, Sustainable Cities Mobility Challenge and the Road Safety Trust. Although funding has not been secured to date, we will nevertheless continue to explore and apply for funding opportunities on an ongoing basis.

Potential future opportunities will include the Greater London Authority’s Green and Resilient Spaces Fund Round 3 (if renewed), Transport for London Local Implementation Plan funding, and securing developer contributions.