4:34pm Tuesday 6th July 2004
By James Brockett
DEVELOPERS have unveiled their vision of a new self-contained community on a site off Honeypot Lane, Canons Park, formerly occupied by government offices.
The land had been earmarked for the controversial multicultural centre planned by the Asha Foundation, but the charity sold the 10 acres after it lost Lottery funding and council support.
St John Homes bought seven acres, with the rest going to the Acton Housing Association.
The company held an exhibition on its plans on Friday and Saturday as part of a consultation exercise it is running with residents of the area, before submitting the scheme to Harrow Council for planning permission next month.
The development would include 600 homes, half of them "social rented flats" and the others mixed-tenure, three and four-bedroom houses for key workers.
There will be communal gardens, a cafe, and a parade of shops aimed at attracting small businesses to the area.
To promote the use of public transport, the site would have easy access to Canons Park Tube station, a bicycle lock-up and a restricted number of parking spaces.
Stuart Wallace, managing director of St John Homes, said: "This is a fantastic development, bringing back into use a site that has lain dormant for far too long.
"Our proposals will enhance the wider community by offering new homes, new jobs and new areas of public space."
There would be play areas for children and the developer is consulting with the relevant authorities on incorporating nursery and medical facilities.
The scheme also features a heat and power station on the south-west of the site, powering the homes and providing broadband internet access.
There would be an estate office to ensure security, and to avoid the floods which are a problem in the area, drains would divert excess water from the nearby brook into a central water feature.
The most eyecatching feature of the development would be the 11-storey building at the western front of the site. Visible above the treeline, it would have shops on the first two floors with flats above.
If planning permission is granted, building work could take up to four years.
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