Brent's high streets are set to undergo a transformation, with a new strategy aiming to foster more aspirational businesses and move away from non-aspirational ones. The council's revitalisation approach will focus on creating vibrant destinations that celebrate local culture while simultaneously tackling issues such as anti-social behaviour and environmental cleanliness.

Councillor Samiah Anderson, Cabinet Member for Cleaner Streets, Transport and Public Realm, emphasised the strategy's commitment to addressing drug use and street drinking in town centres like Harlesden and Church Road. We want to have the sort of best vision for our high streets that we possibly can, Councillor Anderson stated. But if when people arrive, they're confronted with issues like the ones you've outlined, it will be worthless.

The strategy aims to create destinations by celebrating local culture, with specific examples including the amazing reggae culture in Harlesden or the Irish culture in Kilburn or South Asian culture in Ealing Road etc.

A mural on a brick wall reads
HOME SWEET HARLESDEN mural

The initiative will also focus on fostering local jobs, business growth, and apprenticeships, drawing on the success of existing programmes such as the Brent Hairdressing Academy and Brent Start.

Councillor Promise Knight, Cabinet Member for Cleaner Streets, Transport and Public Realm, acknowledged the need for a comprehensive, borough-wide approach. The strategy is designed to capture the big picture while also addressing the unique needs of each individual area. This approach aims to ensure that neighbourhoods like Stonebridge benefit from regeneration, by delving into the specific strengths and challenges of each locality. However, concrete mechanisms for achieving this tailored approach were not detailed.

A row of shops with traditional architecture, illustrating the revitalisation of high streets discussed in the meeting.
Revitalised high street shops

Concerns regarding the state of pavements and their impact on the attractiveness of high streets were raised by Councillor Barbara Want, who urged for these factors to be considered as key metrics within the strategy. The strategy is intended to be collaborative, with active involvement from residents and businesses in its development. Councillor Paul Ryan suggested integrating community engagement directly into the strategy-setting process to ensure that local voices are heard from the outset.

A stacked bar chart illustrating the shift in highway repair methods by year, from predominantly reactive repairs to a greater reliance on injection patching and a small percentage of 'Find and Fix carriageway' methods.
Repair Method by Year

Further details on the council's approach to town centre revitalisation can be found in the Public reports pack.

An infographic illustrating the lifecycle of a pothole, from a good road to planned resurfacing, and highlighting the benefits of early intervention and planned maintenance for Brent's roads.
The life of a pothole

Bar chart showing the percentage of highway repairs by method (reactive vs. preventative) across different financial years, from 2015/16 to a projected 2025/26.
Percentage of Repairs by Method

A line graph showing the total number of carriageway repairs undertaken between the financial years 2015/16 and 2025/26, with a significant peak in 2019/20.
Total Carriageway repairs

A line graph showing the percentage of roads where maintenance should be considered, categorized by road class (A, B and C, and unclassified) from 2008/2009 to 2023/2024.
% of Roads Where Maintenance Should Be Considered

Bar chart showing vacancy rates for floorspace and units in various locations in 2026.
Vacancy rates (VOA), 2026