How do the spaces in the current and proposed Willesden Green buildings compare?

The developers have produced a comparison table to address questions about the spaces within the proposed new Willesden Green Cultural Centre building ('Client brief') and spaces in the present building.

Comments welcome!

This is what Galliford Try say:

In response to resident queries we have prepared a schedule of areas comparing the new WGCC with the existing WGLC. The brief has developed over the last two months in response to the consultation and design development which has taken place.

Overall the building size at Willesden Green has reduced but the reduction in useable space is only around 100 square metres. We have put together a brief for a new building where there is no wasted space, as there is in the current building. The new building will be a compact and active hub for the south of Brent.

The new building will have an open plan design which will allow the spaces to bleed into one another, whilst there is a reduction in library space in the brief there will be a variety of spaces throughout the building which users can occupy and enjoy. The total stock for the new library, including items that will be out on loan will be between 55 and 60,000. Current stock level is 60,000 books.

An evaluation of the requirements for customer services in Brent has concluded that there is a need for 60 customer services booths in the two main customer service hubs in the borough; this is where face to face enquiries for all Council services can be handled.  This provision has been incorporated into the design of both new buildings with 33 booth spaces in the Civic Centre and 27 booths within Willesden. This provision facilitates a significant customer services offer, alongside the cultural and community facilities that both buildings will offer to residents.

The new building at Willesden Green also includes office space for the councils Localities Team (social care referrals and assessment), this team provides an essential council service and is not currently located in the building, accounting for an increase in the overall office space, we have separated out these areas in the attached schedule to make this clear.

Community rallies to the Keep Willesden Green cause

The campaign hits the front page of the Brent and Kilburn Times this week

There was standing room only at the Kings Hall, Willesden last night at the inaugural meeting of the Keep Willesden Green campaign. The meeting heard from local residents concerned at various aspects of the development and had a chance to see details of the proposed Cultural Centre and associated new housing for the first time.

Andy Donald, Brent Council's Director of Regeneration and Major Projects put the case for the new Centre and why it had not been deemed feasible to refurbish the current building. He told the meeting that the agreement with developer Galliford Try had been signed on Wednesday and that it did not include any options for the incorporation of bookshop space or the historic old Willesden Library building. He explained the minimal consultation and lack of detail on the original proposal as due to the constraints of 'testing the market' with developers for the new building.

He showed the audience the 'indicative' images below of the proposed Cultural Centre as well as some plans of the surrounding 94 units of new housing which would be up to 4 or 5 storeys high. He confirmed that the units would not be affordable housing but for sale at market rates. The new Centre would front the High Road and a public space would be provided behind the new Centre between that and the housing that will be built on the present library car park.

High Road frontage

From Brondesbury Park showing the open space

The aim of the meeting was to make local voices heard  the main messages repeatedly coming from the audience was that their voices had not been heard at the commencement of the project and that now consultation was happening they were merely being asked to comment on a 'done deal'.

One speaker brandishing the Newsletter that will be circulated to residents asked if the same sort of glossy image had been circulated 20 or so years ago when the present building had been planned with another council officer speaking persuasively about its merits.

She asked if history would be repeated with the new 'plastic' building being denounced in subsequent years as poorly built and unsustainable. Brent Council were accused of deliberately letting the present building run down and doubts were raised about the future of the Cultural Centre if management was as poor as that for the Willesden Library Centre.

Another speaker expressed doubts about the planning consultation process as Brent Council were the proposers of the private partnership development and Brent councillors would make the decision on the planning application.

There were many contributions extolling the importance for the community of the Willesden Bookshop and its particular role in providing multicultural books and study materials to local schools. The audience treated with derision Andy Donald's statement that in the end it was just another commercial enterprise. The proposals for a revenue earning cafe in the Centre also received short shrift and reinforced the audience's suspicion that the developer was dictating the project rather than the needs of local people.

Cllr Barry Cheese (Lib Dem, Brondesbury Park) and Cllr Lesley Jones (Labour, Willesden Green, and Lead Member for Customers and Citizens) both spoke in favour of the new development saying that it would bring the High Road into the 21st century and improve the area. Cllr Claudia Hector (Labour, Kensal Green) on the other hand sent a message to the meeting calling for the old Victorian Willesden Library building to be saved. She said that she had informed the Labour leadership of her views. The meeting heard that an application had been lodged by campaigners with English Heritage to have the building listed.

Martin Redmond challenged the view that the Old Willesden Library could not be incorporated into the redevelopment and circulated the image below.

The meeting concluded with residents volunteering to form a Keep Willesden Green committee to carry on the work of the campaign and others enthusiastically signing up to work on specific aspects including the Willesden Bookshop, Old Willesden library, the consultation process,  the planning application, and the community's vision for the new building.

If you would like to take part e-mail keepwillesdengreen@hotmail.co.uk

Further information will be posted on this blog as the campaign develops. Your comments are welcomed.