Thursday, February 2, 2012

Kingsbury Lodge

Sadly, the council are now proposing to pull down this old building at the entrance to Roe Green Park on Kingsbury Road. They say, with some justification, that it has become a blight on the local area.

Originally built as the lodge of Kingsbury Manor for Lady Mary Caroline, Duchess of Sutherland in 1899. John Logie Baird received the first TV signals from Berlin here in 1929, when Kingsbury (now Brent) Council acquired the manor and lodge. In recent years it was used as a service tenancy for Parks staff, until it was condemned due to its poor structural condition in the 1990s. Since then it had been used as a squat, drug den and general 'hot spot' of anti-social behaviour. It is now completely dilapidated and in a dangerous condition. It is overrun with rats and other vermin, which are spreading into the park and the Council regularly get complaints from local residents and parks users. We are advised that it would cost too much to repair as significant structural defects exist and it requires underpinning.

So, another piece of our history must go, but at least the area will be returned to the park. We will also press for a suitable recording of the site history and soon we will have the new tennis courts further along.

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