Plans have been submitted to create a new community hall inside the former Royal Mail delivery office in Harrow.
The application relates to the former Royal Mail building on Elmgrove Road, which closed two years ago, close to Harrow town centre. The plans would see an existing first-floor hall converted into a community facility.
A separate entrance, staircase and reception area on the ground floor would form part of the new facility.
Meetings, training and community events
According to planning documents submitted to Harrow Council, the hall could be used for local meetings, educational and training sessions, community group activities, cultural events and social gatherings.
The application specifically says it is not seeking permission for a nightclub, concert venue, commercial entertainment venue or unrestricted events use.
The proposed community facility would be known as Unit 3.
Visitors would enter through an existing ground-floor entrance, with a reception area leading to the staircase and first-floor hall. No changes are proposed to the outside appearance of the building itself.
Site already used for vehicle businesses
The building has changed considerably since its days as a sorting office. Planning permission was granted in 2023 for employment uses at the site, while permission granted in May 2025 allowed part of the building to be used for car repairs, vehicle storage and MOT testing, with another section used as a car showroom.
Those businesses would remain under the latest proposals. The community hall would mainly occupy existing unused space on the first floor.
Open seven days a week
The planning documents propose operating the hall through an advance booking system. Opening hours of 9.30am until 10.30pm, seven days a week including bank holidays, are proposed, although Harrow Council could impose different hours as part of any planning permission.
The applicant says activities would take place inside the building and that amplified music or speech would be controlled so that it could not be heard inside neighbouring homes.
People using the venue would also be asked to leave quietly and avoid gathering in the shared access road. Nearby homes include properties at Catherine Close and Glenwood Close. The site is around 100 metres from Harrow Town Centre.
The application form indicates that work on converting the first floor could begin in November 2026 and be completed by January 2027, subject to planning permission.
The application is currently being considered by Harrow Council.
NOW READ:
Plans revealed to transform Wealdstone pavilion into new community hub
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.
