Brent

Brent is a large and culturally diverse north-west London borough and is home to the iconic Wembley Stadium, Welsh Harp Reservoir and Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple also known as Neasden Temple. Its suburban, semi-rural character was formed in the early 20th Century after becoming part of the ‘Metroland’, a string of new neighbourhoods built along the Metropolitan Railway line stretching from Neasden in north-west London to Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire.

Brent is named after the River Brent, a long tributary to the River Thames that runs through the middle of the borough. Bordered by the busy Edgware Road north of Paddington, the district spreads west and encompasses several distinctive, modern and vibrant towns including Kilburn, Willesden, Wembley, and Harlesden. The London Borough of Brent was formed in 1965 from two joining areas: Wembley and Willesden.

The modern, urban fabric of Brent is a tapestry of residential, industrial and commercial land and activities. In terms of architectural styles, there are Victorian, Italianate, Gothic Revival, suburban Arts and Crafts, Tudorbethan, Mandir, Moorish, Indo-Islamic, Brutalist, Modern and Contemporary buildings. Brent features typically busy high streets packed with chain shops and thriving small businesses. It has a fair share of popular large parks and open green spaces, as well as quaint and sought-after suburban neighbourhoods featuring semi-detached dwellings with steep roofs, bay windows and half-timbered gables.

Brent Borough is one of London’s most significant regeneration and investment opportunity districts with a string of large mixed-use projects, such as Wembley Park. New residential development opportunities are planned in the South Kilburn, Alperton, Burnt Oak/Colindale, Northwick Park, Church End, Neasden and Staples Corner areas.

The borough boasts a wide range of local employment opportunities owing to its dynamic and diverse economy encompassing retail, manufacturing, and services. Populous and ethnically diverse, Brent is a ‘young borough’ with a high percentage of residents under 30 years.

Excellent public transport links (Underground, Overground and Chiltern Rail) with the City of London and the West End, as well as its proximity to the affluent neighbouring boroughs of Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Camden, make this north-west London district an attractive residential and commercial location.

Brent History

Archaeological material found near Brent Reservoir confirms that the area had a settlement in prehistoric times. Remains of a large late Roman Villa in Kingsbury, as well as the Edgware Road route foundations, are both links to the district’s emergence during the Roman period. In medieval times, Brent was a collection of small hamlets formed in forest clearings. Rural Brent grew with the advent of parishes in Willesden, Harrow, Kilburn, and Wembley.

Big changes to the landscape of Brent came in the early 19th Century with the modern transport infrastructure, including the Chiltern Railways and the Grand Union Canal. The North Circular Road was built between 1922-23, and the biggest boost to Brent’s economy in the early 20th Century came from the British Empire Exhibition in 1924. The exhibition covered an area of more than 216 acres and was running for two years attracting over 20 million visitors. The main event site was the Empire Stadium (later renamed Wembley Stadium).

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Major commercial centres of Brent were established at railway stations such as Kilburn on Edgware Road, or near large depots such as Neasden. Cricklewood and Park Royal districts expanded after the creation of the North Circular Road. Industries settling along the railway lines included ammunition and aviation suppliers serving in the First World War.

During the Second World War, areas with high concentrations of industry and railway lines, such as Willesden and Wembley, suffered heavy bombing and destruction. Further industrial decline and large job losses hit Brent in the 1970s. Subsequently, many residents moved out and the population number throughout the district decreased. Immigration has shaped many districts within the borough since the 1950s with new residents coming from Ireland, the Caribbean, East Africa, India, Pakistan, Latin America, and from European countries including Poland, Bulgaria and Romania.

Brent’s regeneration projects aim to revitalise the local economy and modernise housing have spread through the borough since the early 2000s. Wembley Park is one of the most successful recent developments that transformed a large section of the borough, and future projects shaping its modern urban landscape include Neasden Stations Growth Area NW10, Church End NW10, and the South Kilburn Estate regeneration.

Brent Culture

Various cultural traditions intertwine through several global festivals and celebrations taking place in the borough including the Diwali and the Notting Hill Carnival.

Wembley Stadium is the largest sports and events centre in Brent. Instantly recognisable, the enormous Wembley Stadium arch can be seen from various parts of the city and is a significant modern London architectural site. Wembley Arena is a premium indoor venue and an entertainment hub located next to the Stadium. Wembley Park is home to a large and affordable artists workspace comprising 56 studios, housing 80 artists. The designer outlet at Wembley has  over 70 stores.

The Neasden Temple is Britain’s first authentic Hindy temple and one of London’s most visited, free tourist and visitor attractions.

Carved entirely out of stone, with seven golden spires and five ribbed domes, this architectural and engineering marvel rises some 70 feet high and forms a truly breathtaking site revealing extraordinary Indian craftsmanship at a closer view.

Within walking distance of Wembley Stadium, in the heart of Neasden, is the Welsh Harp Reservoir, a 170-hectare (420-acre) wildlife sanctuary and a rural retreat featuring open water, marshes, trees and grassland. Gladstone Park is another attractive outdoor space ideal for recreational purposes and for catching panoramic views of London’s skyline. Wilsden Sports Centre is a popular indoor recreation centre with swimming pools and fitness facilities.

On the border of Brent and Kensington & Chelsea, nearby Kensal Green, is the All-Souls’ Cemetery. Included in the Register of London Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest, opened in 1833, as London’s first commercial cemetery.  

Other places of interest in Brent include the Kiln Theatre in Kilburn, Lexi Cinema, and the Brent Museum with a collection of artefacts tracing the history of Brent from about 1850 to the present day.

Brent Transport:

Brent is served by Bakerloo, Metropolitan, Piccadilly, Jubilee, Overground and Chiltern Rail trains. There are 21 Tube and 12 Overground stations in Brent. Around 600 bus stops are served by 59-day bus routes.

The North Circular Road cuts through the borough providing smooth car access to the M1 to the north and the M4 to the southwest.

Quietway 3 (Q3) cycle route connects Gladstone Park and Kilburn.

A route between Wembley and Willesden Junction is in the planning stages.

Brent Developments

Beresford Avenue

Clifton Mansions

Dudden Hill

Dollis Hill

Grand Union Alperton

Liberty Wharf*

North West Quarter, Kilburn

The Northern Quarter

Stonebridge Park

Moreland Gardens

Wembley Park

Council: Brent 

Council Tax: 

See up-to-date council tax HERE

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