Brent set for major 'green makeover' with new walking and cycling routes, trees and crackdown on fly-tipping

The project is part of a wider pilot scheme to determine how the whole borough could achieve net zero by 2030.

Brent Council has agreed to use Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) money to deliver a ‘green corridors scheme’ in Church End and Roundwood. Part of the local authority’s ‘Green Neighbourhoods’ initiative, it aims to make the area a ‘model of sustainable urban living’, according to the council.

The Church End and Roundwood pilot is the first of several to take place across the borough and will test how the areas can become as environmentally sustainable as possible. It involves major improvements to walking and cycling paths, and air quality, as well as tackling persistent issues such as fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.

First approved in January 2023, the Green Neighbourhood’s Action Plan seeks to tackle the climate and ecological emergency by making ‘positive and transformative’ changes which benefit residents and ‘encourage sustainable behaviours’. To be implemented in phases, The Church End and Roundwood Green Corridors Scheme is set to introduce sustainable infrastructure, boosting biodiversity, and creating safer, more inclusive streets, according to Brent Council.

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The scheme will see Church Path transformed into a green corridor to provide safer and more environmentally friendly routes for pedestrians and cyclists, new traffic calming measures, and improvements to green spaces in the area.

Other highlights include: new zebra crossings and greenery on Longstone Avenue; more plants, trees, and seating in Longstone Avenue Open Space and Roundwood Park; wider footpaths, new crossings, and more greenery on Fawcett Road; and traffic calming measures introduced on Fawcett Road, Longstone Avenue, and Cobbold Road to reduce through traffic, lower vehicle speeds, and improve safety.

SCIL money is ring-fenced so it can only be spent on infrastructure, which the council claims ensures it is used for projects that benefit the community. The scheme will be completed over multiple phases, with improvements to take shape at sites from 2025 to 2027.

Cabinet Member for Employment, Innovation and Climate Action, Cllr Jake Rubin, said: “I’m so pleased that Brent Council has committed this major investment in Church End and Roundwood, which will improve the look and feel of the area and residents’ quality of life. The scheme will tackle dangerous air pollution, provide safe routes for walking and cycling, increase green spaces and create a safer, cleaner area for all.”