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Northwood Hills to receive £400,000 for town centre improvements
CAMPAIGNERS fighting for town centre improvements in Northwood Hills have claimed victory after a £400,000 cash boost has been earmarked for the community.
Hillingdon Council has set aside the funds in its budget for the current financial year and will consult the public on how the money should be spent.
Cabinet member for finance, property and business services, councillor Jonathan Bianco (Northwood Hills, Con), told the Gazette: "The council is keen to see improvements to all areas in the borough but we can only do a bit at a time, and now it is Northwood Hills' turn.
"We have already had talks with the Northwood Hills Residents' Association (NHRA) and Chamber of Commerce and we will have a wider public consultation to discuss what is feasible, before any projects go out to tender.
"It's not going to happen overnight, but as quickly as we can sensibly get on with it.
"However, one also has to be realistic. On one level, £400,000 seems like a lot of money, on another, it is peanuts, so we intend to put it to the best possible use."
The Gazette reported last month how 'stake-holders' in the community met to discuss an action plan to make Northwood Hills a more attractive place to visit.
Chairman of the NHRA, Andrew Riley, said: "Money is long overdue to be spent in Northwood Hills and this is something we, together with the Chamber of Commerce, have been fighting for for a long time, so we consider it a real victory.
"We would like to see less bus stops and more parking in Joel Street, which is a real issue.
"We also need better street lighting. When you come out of the Tube station and have to cross the road, it is very dark in the winter months.
"It would also be good if the street furniture was improved, to make the town centre a place people want to shop in."
Chairman of the Northwood Hills Chamber of Commerce, Steve Allen, added: "It's about time but finally we can do something to move Joel Street forward and we couldn't be happier with the council's decision.
"The stop and shop scheme introduced last year has been wonderful but parking is still the number one problem.
"Trebling the amount of spaces will increase the footfall here."
How would you like to see the money spent? Email Gazette reporter Siba Matti at sibamatti@trinitysouth.co.uk or post a comment below.
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Excellent news! Hooray