A small section of Greenhill Way Car park will soon host a new hub for start-ups and creatives
- Gallery space, flexible retail units and affordable workspace for creatives will be built
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Site will also house a community/event space and micro gallery spaces
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Undercroft pedestrian walkway linking site to Station Road will be lighter, brighter, cleaner and safer as part of the plans
Councillors have given their unanimous backing to improving a rundown, underused part of Greenhill Way Car Park. Over the next few months it will begin its transformation into a thriving hub to help startups and creatives for the next five years and beyond.
The redevelopment of a small part of the Greenhill Way site will provide an exciting hub for business start-ups and creative types who will be able to rent space in several easy-to-install shipping containers.
Cllr Norman Stevenson, Cabinet Member for Business said:
“This is welcoming news. Until now this area was deteriorating and needed revitalising. We are a borough that supports local businesses and entrepreneurs and committed to keeping our borough clean and safe - this is exactly what this transformation will do. I look forward to seeing the works complete and invite local start-ups and creatives to take their business further.”
Construction would begin in the next few months and once up and running, would be locked at night. The meanwhile use should remain in place for five years but could be extended if it is successful. It will be built with money from the Department for Levelling Up’s Future High Street Fund which was set up to help high streets and town centres recover from the pandemic by improving transport links, building new homes and transforming underused spaces.
A commercial organisation will run the meanwhile space, with London Borough of Harrow offering the carpark site for free as part of the deal.
The car park will continue to offer more than 200 spaces and one hour's free parking.
At planning committee, Vice Chairman Chris Baxter said the plans were creative and innovative. “This will bring more welcome activity into this area and more people being around for legitimate reasons is likely to reduce some of the negative behaviours currently seen in this area. Improving vitality can only be a good thing.”
Ward Cllrs echoed support agreeing it would improve the area citing that it will attract more footfall, help local businesses and make the area cleaner and safer.