Plans to restore a crumbling 400-year-old barn in a North London country park have proven controversial among neighbours and visitors, as the leaseholders look to install two 20ft shipping containers before the £2 million renovation works take place.
The barn, a remnant of the former Bush Farm, is located in Fryent Park and leased from Brent Council by The Bush Farm Collective (BFC) – a Community Interest Company (CIC) set up to offer initiatives to the local community, including educational workshops on horse maintenance, sustainable farming practices, and tree planting.
The local authority has ‘condemned’ the dilapidated barn so the BFC have raised funds for its demolition and rebuild to create an improved shelter for horses and livestock. However, their plan to install two ‘temporary’ shipping containers to store materials for the restoration for a period of up to five years has received a mixed response.
Brent Council is looking to enter into a 25-year Farm Tenancy Agreement with the BFC providing the barn and paddock repairs are carried out, which the local authority’s Head of Property, Denish Patel, has described as being ‘in a poor state’. In a letter submitted against the planning application, he said the council had been unable to restore the property due to ‘the level of capital investment required’ and supports a plan to seek grant funding from the Communities and Local Government for the repairs.
The necessary works required include the timber structure, replacement of the asbestos roof, timber cladding to the outer walls, the addition of modern toilet and kitchen facilities, and substantial field fence repairs, according to Mr Patel. BFC has called the plan ‘vital’ and claim the full planning application to rebuild the barn will be submitted in June.
The plans have also received support from many within the community, suggesting that the current condition of the barn has made it ‘incredibly difficult’ for the BFC to carry out their voluntary services and that installing the storage containers ‘seems reasonable’ whilst the work is done.
One person, who claimed to have taken part in the BFC’s activities, wrote: “I have […] attended and volunteered at the community events organised by the BFC in collaboration with the local community. I have witnessed the hard work and dedication the BFC put into these events. I see how much they benefit the local community members who engage with the group, attend events and get involved with activities.”
Another added: “I have been coming to The stables with my eight grandchildren for the past four years. Their interest in animals and nature and their knowledge has been enriched by our regular visits. The people who run the stables are always happy to see us and I believe that the events that we have attended here have been well organised and very well received by locals and anyone that I’ve spoken to about it.”
However, there are also a significant number of objectors to the plan – notably many who live near Fryent Park and others who frequently visit. They claim to not have been engaged with the plans before they were submitted and suggest the shipping containers will be ‘unsightly’ and feel the park would begin to resemble ‘a scrap yard’.
One wrote: “The introduction of multiple metal containers for a period of up to five years is visually intrusive and inconsistent with the rural and conservation character of Fryent Country Park. If the barn is in urgent disrepair, then focus should be on essential repairs to make the existing building safe and watertight […] not for placing unsightly containers in a public nature reserve.”
Another added: “I question the necessity of such large containers for such a long period, especially considering that the barn’s reconstruction is due to commence later this year. While I strongly support the barn’s refurbishment, the requirement for these containers raises concerns about the timeline for its completion.”
BFC were approached to comment on the points raised by the objectors but did not respond ahead of publication. The application will be reviewed by Brent Council’s Planning Committee to determine whether the plan will go ahead.
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
