Hounslow Councils Cabinet will consider a report to unlock the redevelopment of Brentford Police Station and Albany Riverside at its meeting on November 12 2024.
Redevelopment of the Brentford Police Station and Albany Riverside sites will include around 300 fully-affordable, new homes across both sites, along with a vibrant arts centre, a riverside café, and open public space.
The council is committed to building a new, world-class arts centre to put Brentford on the map and draw in visitors from across London and beyond.
Cllr Tom Bruce, deputy leader and cabinet member for assets, regeneration and development, said:
“Brentford’s continued transformation reflects our commitment to more affordable homes for our communities and making culture central to growth, with a new flagship arts centre for the borough that will enrich residents’ lives and attract visitors.
“By delivering affordable housing, we’re also taking a critical step toward meeting our housing pledge and addressing the wider housing crisis, making Brentford a place where people can.”
The Council has faced significant challenges in progressing the arts centre development including economic uncertainty and Peabody pulling out as the housing provider at the police station site. These delays ultimately saw Hounslow Arts Trust, facing mounting costs in an out-of-date building, pull out of the Watermans Arts Centre in April 2024. Brentford has been without an arts centre ever since and the now-empty Watermans building has faced damage from fire and squatters.
The council has been assessing the suitability of the old Watermans building for meanwhile use by community groups at the same time as trying to unlock progress on the police station site. The Council has now fully assessed the damage and the cost of restoring the old building to a standard high enough for public use. This is estimated to be £164,500 and would take about six months. Now that a new arts centre at the police station site is expected to progress imminently and any period of meanwhile use of the old Watermans Arts Centre building would be very short, the costs of repairing a building soon set for redevelopment are not viable.
While a meanwhile use of the former arts centre is no longer viable, the Council is exploring alternative options with local arts groups until the new centre is completed.
Cllr Salman Shaheen, cabinet member for culture, leisure and public spaces on Hounslow Council, said:
“Between the regeneration and transformation of Brentford town centre with new shops and restaurants, a burgeoning population, world-class musical acts coming into Gunnersbury Park, and a football club in the Premier League, there has never been a more exciting time for Brentford. From our restored Boston Manor House to our museums and our Creative Mile, Brentford is already firmly on the cultural map. But we have faced challenges, too, not least in the loss of our treasured arts centre. A new state-of-the-art arts centre will serve the people of Brentford and draw visitors from across Hounslow, London, and far beyond. I’m pleased that today we can finally see a way forward.”
Hounslow Council is leading this ambitious project in partnership with Topland Group and London Green.
Following Cabinet approval, the Council will proceed with plans to secure a new housing provider for the Police Station site and make final adjustments to ensure development plans comply with updated safety regulations.
The Council expects construction of the arts centre to begin in spring or summer 2025.
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