Extension granted over plans for North Harrow Community Centre

A CHARITY that wants to build a community centre in North Harrow with Islam-influenced architecture has been given more time to iron out problems with its plans.

The Battlers Wells Foundation intends to demolish North Harrow Assembly Halls in Station Road along with 34 and 36 Canterbury Road and 37 and 39 Gloucester Road, in order to build a three-storey mixed use structure.

It would feature a sports hall, separate male and female gymnasiums, a children's play area, prayer areas for 200 people, a library, a food court, a crèche, an exhibition area, and a 24-bed nursing home and eight flats.

When Harrow Council's strategic planning committee met in October last year to debate the scheme, a petition supporting the development was submitted containing more than 1,400 names although planning officers had recommended councillors refuse the application on seven different grounds:

n unduly bulky, obtrusive, overbearing and over dominant building;

n over-intensive use of site;

n neighbours overlooked;

n inadequate flood risk assessment;

n additional traffic and on-street parking;

n inappropriate edge-of-district-centre scheme;

n lack of play space for youngsters;

n not enough bins for nursing home.

In the end, the committee unanimously deferred its decision in order to allow the applicants to meet the council to "address the reasons for refusal", thereby giving the foundation six months to either withdraw their application, have it voted upon or submit a revised design.

The deadline passed at the beginning of this month but the authority has granted the foundation an extension as negotiations are still ongoing.