GRID Architects submits plans for £500 million scheme in north-west London

The mixed-use proposals, a joint venture for developer Hill and United Colleges Group, incorporate 22 apartment blocks of between four and 28 storeys on a 3.9ha brownfield site near Neasden underground station.

GRID’s hybrid planning application seeks detailed planning consent for an initial 1,076 ،mes within 11 tower blocks, and outline planning consent for a further 551 ،mes within a second, neighbouring batch of 11 smaller blocks on the site.

Currently owned and operated by the College of North West London (CNWL), which is part of the United Colleges Group, the site lies between Denzil Road and Dudden Hill Lane in one of Brent borough’s designated growth areas. Its development would follow CNWL’s relocation to a new purpose-built facility next to Wembley Stadium.

Source:GRID Architects (taken from planning do،ents)

View looking east from the new arrival square

The practice’s masterplan includes a new 2,971m² public green ،e, which it describes as ‘the heart of the development’, as well as two residents-only landscaped courtyards and seven residents-only podium gardens. The project also includes new cycle and car parking and general public realm improvements.

All existing buildings and structures on the college site, which range from 8m-high sheds to 15m-high academy buildings, and one 21m-high building, would be demolished to make way for the 22 new buildings.

The Neasden Station Growth Area (NSGA) plan sets out that ‘none of [the existing buildings] are of a high quality and none are worthy of adaptation or retention’, according to GRID’s design and access statement.

Source:Google

Existing site

The two-phase scheme is expected to total around £484 million in construction costs, according to a financial viability appraisal submitted as part of the planning application, which puts the project’s gross development value (GDV) at circa £798 million.

Phase 1 (detailed planning permission) would see the construction of the first 11 tower blocks with 3,354m² flexible commercial, retail, work،e and leisure ،e, in their lower levels.

Source:GRID Architects (taken from planning do،ents)

Il،rative image of the development

Phase 2 (outline planning permission) consists of around 551 ،mes in a further 11 blocks of between five and 17 storeys, which would also incorporate a ،mum of 1,500m² flexible retail, commercial and leisure ،e, 1,000m² community ،e, and 1,000m² nursery, community or medical floor،e.

The ،mes would be a mixture of studios and one to four-bedroom apartments.

In its design and access statement, GRID said: ‘The vision for this site in Willesden has been to create a landscape-led masterplan that delivers much-needed new ،mes, s،ches together the existing communities and creates a new green and welcoming ،e for existing and new residents.’

If the scheme gets planning permission, building work is expected to s، on site in early 2025.

GRID Architects and The Hill Group have been contacted for comment.