"Romans" living in Kingsbury?

It's just been reported by our highly respected local historian, Phillip Grant, that Roman ('Samian ware') pottery and traces of buildings, have been found at the Blackbird Hill (former 'Blarney Stone' pub) archaelogical dig site. Along with other Wembley History Society enthusiasts, Phillip has been working with the archaeologists there.  The significance of these finds could be enormous. If validated by Archaeology South-East, they would confirm earlier speculation that there was a farm and people permanently settled hereabouts, in pre-Roman times viz.,the early centuries of the 1st millennium.

It would add  about 500 years to the age of the area as a place of settlement. Up to now, most historians and archaeologists believed that it was the Wembley area which was the original place of settlement hereabouts. 'Wemba' is first recorded as having his  clearing in the forest ('Wemba lea') in AD825. But if this Welsh Harp ward site ( in the ancient parish of Kingsbury, just along from the old church), does prove to be evidence of a Roman (or indeed pre-Roman settlement), that could have enormous significe for English history generally. It could put the whole area on the English heritage 'map' big time, with enormous potential for tourism.

Before we get too excited however, we must wait for the archaeologists to report finally.  We await with interest for Philip's further reports from Blackbird Hill.

How can we clean up the area around the Edgware Road?

Since I've been a Fryent councillor, now nearly twelve years ago, the one depressing
part of the ward has been at the Edgware Road end of the Springfield estate. Its a poor
shopping parade, with very limited choice with so many betting offices, take-away joints
and pubs. The pavements are cluttered with ill-assorted 'furniture' and the A5 is a
fast-moving dangerous road to cross and divides the community.

Worse, the alley ways behind the parade of shops are a disgrace - especially the one in Springfield Mount with dumped trade and household waste, mattresses and fly-tipping - a happy place for rats and other vermin. We've had the Environmental Health officers in more times than I can remember. They've issued prosecution notices to some rogue landlords who don't seem to care.  A number of residents and traders have tried to band together to improve things, but it rarely works for long, as the problems are overwhelming and they give up. We've put up alley gates and tarmacced the Springfield Mount one, (c£5,000), only to find the gates left open and building materials dumped all over it again. The streets get all the throwaway food cartons and other litter blown up from the parade, which regularly defeats the Council's efforts to keep them clean. Its like pushing a rock up a hill!

Residents have had to endure this mess and other more recent nuisances all those years and it grieves us not to be able to get the Council to do more with the austerity times that have been loaded on slashed local Council budgets so unfairly.
Nevertheless,  there is some brighter light starting to appear over the hill. As a result of our efforts and that of the Council officers, a new Burnt Oak/Colindale/The Hyde Placemaking Plan, has been drawn up to transform the whole area along the Edgware Road as one of the borough's five growth areas. In the jargon, this will involve 'a suite of co-ordinated public realm interventions and urban design strategies'. This means changing the A5 road, pavements
and junctions to make it safer (more crossings), more pleasing to the eye (more trees, less clutter on the streets) and lots of more ambitious plans. Most importantly, we will be looking for some 'quick wins' such as tackling the alley ways, to build confidence that this is not just a grandiose long-term plan. For the full Plan - which has been drawn up by consultants with the public, councillors and officers -  see the website at http://www.brent.gov.uk/regeneration/burnt-oak-colindale-regeneration/  .

So all we need now is the money to make it happen! The good news is that both Brent and Barnet are working together and will contribute regeneration funds. The councillors in Fryent and Queensbury wards will also tip in a significant amount from their smaller 'Ward Working' funds. The major businesses at the Burnt Oak and Colindale end of the stretch in question, will also be major players.

This is a sketch of the Plan. We hope to present it at a future Brent Connects meeting (the old
Kingsbury & Kenton Forum), with far more detail. But at the end of the day, all these agencies can do only so much. Success will depend on you, the residents of the area most affected. We, your local councillors, will be calling a public meeting of residents, traders, landlords and all others who want to get involved in transforming your area.  Watch this space for details.

As some of you will know, I will be stepping down from the Council next May, but George and Ruth (and hopefully our Action Team colleague, Mrs Shama Tatler) will carry this project forward, if they are re-elected in 2014.

Cllr Jim Moher