Harrow is set to receive 149 new family homes, including council homes, as phase one of the Byron Quarter development has been approved.
The development, a partnership between the London Borough of Harrow and Wates Residential, will transform unused council-owned land into housing, including 71 three-bedroom houses. The homes will be a mix of two and three-storey properties designed to fit with the local area.
A central green space will be part of the development, featuring seating areas, play spaces, and walking and cycling paths. It will also connect to the Belmont Trail and Byron Park.
Cllr Marilyn Ashton, Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, said: “This is an exciting step in unlocking the potential for this under used urban site left empty for 20 years to deliver much needed, high-quality homes for families in Harrow.
“Our regeneration plans for Harrow are ambitious. We have listened to the community, delivering plans that reflect the character of the local neighbourhood. Byron Quarter will deliver much needed, new, and affordable family-sized accommodation including council homes, open and green spaces and public squares where Harrow people want to live.”
Leigh Johnson, Regional Development Director at Wates Residential, said: “We are thrilled to receive planning permission for Byron Quarter. This is an important milestone in our commitment to delivering much-needed, energy-efficient homes including affordable homes alongside high-quality public spaces and amenities that will benefit the entire community.
“We would like to extend our thanks to all those who engaged with the planning process, particularly the residents, whose invaluable feedback has helped shape the final plans.
“Our ongoing dialogue with the community remains a top priority as we move forward with the construction of this exciting new development.”
Cllr Nitin Parekh, Shadow Portfolio Holder for Planning, raised concerns about affordable housing in the development, stating: “While we welcome the news of this development, Labour Councillors remain concerned about the lack of affordable housing on the site and wider community infrastructure services.
“While we were expecting the percentage of affordable housing units for local residents on the site to be 40%, in line with the Council’s own targets, we are disappointed that the total percentage of affordable housing units in the development will be only 27%. This is especially concerning given the new Borough Local Plan aims for 50% affordable housing in all new developments, so the Council appears to be failing by its own metrics.
“We hope that Harrow Council can take these concerns into consideration and amend their plans in line with them so that the development is affordable for Harrow residents.”
Works on Byron Quarter are scheduled to begin in mid-2025, with the first residents expected to move in by autumn 2026.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
