Two groundbreaking ceremonies have marked the start of construction on a £28 million housing project that will deliver two new community centres and much-needed affordable homes for Brent residents.
Residents and councillors welcomed the start of building work at the Brent Indian and Learie Constantine sites in Dudden Hill Lane, Willesden, yesterday (05 October).
The Brent Indian project will see £15.64 million invested in a brand new community centre alongside 29 affordable homes that include three wheelchair accessible homes and 26 family-sized apartments of up to three bedrooms from the ground floor to the fourth floor. The new Brent Indian Community Centre will include a large multi-purpose hall, commercial kitchen, offices and an IT training room.
Raj Mistry, secretary of the Brent Indian Community Centre, said: “This new centre will be a huge help. Currently we have use of a building for just three hours a week, but when this new centre is built, we will be able to use it seven days a week. It will be a place for people to socialise and to keep warm in the cost of living crisis. We will also be able to let it out, which will help us to maintain and run the building.”
Residents and councillors also celebrated work beginning on a second community centre and 26 new affordable homes further down Dudden Hill Lane. The £12.5 million Learie Constantine Community Centre project will also see the construction of a new building with a community centre on the ground floor with 26 one to three bedroom apartments above it.
Norman Mullings, chair of the Learie Constantine Centre, said: “The Constantine Centre dates back to 1971. It is a place where people from the Black community have been able to come and organise themselves for the benefit of all. After 25 years, I feel very glad that this new building is finally happening. It has been a long story. We hope that when we are no longer here, this will be a lasting legacy for the Black community.”
