Plans to demolish a hospital building and former ambulance station in Wembley to make way for over 100 homes were first approved, then rejected, and ultimately deferred - all within a 15-minute period during a Brent Council planning committee meeting on July 2.
Voting confusion leads to reversal
Developer Fairview Estates Limited submitted plans to redevelop the Old Wembley Hospital site, proposing 108 homes in residential buildings ranging from three to six storeys. The committee debated the application for over two hours before a split vote of four in favour and four against. Committee Chair Cllr Saqib Butt used his casting vote to approve the development.
However, after a break, it emerged that Cllr Iftekhar Ahmed, who had voted in favour, was not present for the full discussion. According to Brent Council's constitution, members must attend the entire review to vote. This reduced the approval to three votes, with four against, resulting in refusal.
Officers warn of appeal risks
A council officer then advised that the reasons for refusal would be "difficult to defend" on appeal, potentially leading to a "significant risk" of costs being awarded against the council. The committee ultimately deferred the decision, instructing officers to prepare a report addressing the issues.
The officer specifically questioned the validity of several refusal grounds. Concerns about congestion were countered by noting that parking permit restrictions on future residents would limit traffic. Loss of light to a nearby property was described as "limited," and the site is not a designated heritage asset, so it lacks special protection.
Affordable housing concerns
Of the 108 homes - 28 one-bedroom, 54 two-bedroom, and 26 three-bedroom - only 11 (just over 10%) are classified as affordable. This was deemed acceptable based on a viability assessment, but committee members expressed dissatisfaction. The officer acknowledged that while the affordable housing proportion was low, it was not a solid ground for refusal given the assessment.
Site history and future
The Old Wembley Hospital operated from 1928 until 2000, when frontline medical services moved to the new Wembley Centre for Health and Care. The site then served a "back of house function" until 2019, when it was deemed "redundant and surplus to needs." During the Covid-19 pandemic, it temporarily stored PPE. The developer describes it as an "inactive and underutilised" urban brownfield site ripe for development.
The scheme includes 99 flats and nine houses. The developer claims it will make use of a currently "underutilised and oppressive" plot. The application is now deferred pending further officer review.
