Gentrification of Wembley

Wembley

Growing up in North-West London I was used to seeing stalls parked outside of Wembley stadium selling everything from cheeses to watches to shoes. Seeing vendors of all varying ethnicities come together to sell products, and hearing their shouts across stalls was all too familiar. Now, these communities of stalls are nowhere to be found and have been replaced by modern architecture: 20-storey buildings that inhabit modern apartments; multiple high-end shops and restaurants. The gentrification of Wembley has torn apart the communities that I am so familiar with. 

Gentrification began in Wembley after agreements between Brent Council and private developer Quintain in 2002 to deliver jobs and houses, through an investment of £1.5 billion. The council sought ‘regeneration’ (read: gentrification) plans because - according to Councillor Margaret McLennan - they wanted to ‘drive the economic regeneration of Brent, and further promote its cultural leisure (to) visitors throughout the day and evening.’ The scheme is also motivated by the need to provide cleaner homes to residents; according to a survey conducted by Tipi (Quintain’s rental company) renters in London are suffering from overcrowded homes and poor sanitary conditions, some living with fungus and mould. 

While these two reasons may have motivated this investment scheme, the results have completely dichotomised this. To start with, Mclennan’s claim that regeneration is necessary to attract tourists to Wembley’s culture is undermined by the fact that regeneration is driving out ethnic communities from Wembley, and with that, the culture that McLennan deems so important. According to the Office for National Statistics, 78.6% of the borough identified themselves as black or minority ethnic group (BME). However, Brent also has the 3rd lowest average income, with 16% of households in Brent having an average salary of £15,000 or less demonstrating that a significant percentage of Brent’s ethnic population are living in poverty. Allowing Quintain’s investment in Wembley exuberates this issue because their apartments - marketed for insanely high prices- and outlets are contributing to the rising home values of the surrounding area. This makes it difficult for black and Asian communities to pay rent forcing them to flee Wembley and relocate to cheaper, more affordable places to live in. 

For Wembley’s immigrant population, the displacement of a community can be catastrophic. Coming to a foreign country, unfamiliar with its language, laws and customs, immigrants rely on the support they have with one another to navigate living in Brent. Breaking communities can leave people isolated increasing mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression in residents. It’s hypocritical for Brent council to claim that culture is an important, essential aspect of Wembley when their actions so clearly demonstrate their indifferent treatment to ethnic communities. 

Secondly, Quintain’s attempt to address the poor sanitary conditions of London households by building new apartments does nothing to address a real cause of poverty: environmental racism. As discussed above, there is a significant percentage of Brent’s ethnic population that lives under the poverty line suggesting the link between ethnicity and poverty.  The Race Equality Foundation found, in their investigation, that of the 2.2 million ethnic households living in the UK around 15% lived in ‘poor’ households. The foundation further found that despite ethnic minorities having larger households, they were more likely to be cramped in small houses and living in rented properties. Their findings prove that racism is rife within the housing industry where property investors and councillors do little to accommodate the needs of black and Asian families- whether it be providing funds to improve poor conditions or building affordable homes for these communities. For Quintain to build hundreds of new flats for white middle-class residents in Wembley Outlet does nothing to help a black family living with damp in their homes in Kingsbury or a large Asian family living in a cramped flat in Alperton. 

Rather Tipi’s investment will only intensify racial divides further. Their apartments marketed at £2237/month or as high as £2800/month demonstrate the market Quintain are really appealing to as being the middle/upper class. This will cause an influx of these class residents to move into Wembley Outlet. Considering that white British households are the largest ethnic group occupying the upper/middle classes (at 42%) it’s clear that it will be white households who will be replacing displaced oppressed ethnic minorities. This is gentrification at its core: where an area’s ethnic population is torn and displaced by affluent, white communities. 

Foreign property investment in Wembley has also resulted in a better quality of life for affluent residents, while poorer, working-class communities aren’t given the luxury of better services and shops. A study published by Harvard found that gentrified, American neighborhoods with high-income residents would have access to local groceries, cafes, bars and restaurants, while the opposite was true for lower-income areas: that is, poorer people have less access to healthy foods and leisure activities. Looking at Wembley Outlet, we see exactly this occurring. The establishment of new apartments in Wembley has been accompanied by an influx of high-end stores and healthier restaurants. There have also been new gyms established encouraging fitness for wealthier residents. 

Some of the healthy food options offered at Wembley's new BoxPark

This is in complete contrast to the lack of access to healthy foods working-class residents of Wembley have, who instead have quick access to unhealthy cheap fast-food burger chains and chicken shops. This encourages working-class residents to purchase these cheap, unhealthy goods which, over time, can lead to diabetes, heart disease, obesity etc for these residents.  This gentrification is an instance of environmental racism where white, affluent families have access to better foods and opportunities leading to a longer life span and a healthier quality of life, whereas black and Asian minorities have access to unhealthy foods resulting in a much poorer quality of life.

     Some of the fast-food chains Wembley Central's residents have access to 

If Brent council really wants to demonstrate their commitment to supporting ethnic communities, then they should encourage investments directly into black and Asian households- allowing households to become cleaner or making larger properties affordable. Moreover, an investment in leisure activity, better shops and services directly into ethnic communities is imperative to encourage better living. If not, it will not be long before Brent becomes colonised by white affluent families complicit in a gentrification system that is displacing ethnic communities.