A health service manager from Pinner has suggested turning a ‘declining’ community asset into a 'care farm' for the elderly.

Jenny Stephany, of Waxwell Close, believes Pinner Park Farm in George V Avenue could be extremely useful in providing therapeutic help to those suffering with long-term conditions such as dementia and autism.

Last year residents complained that the property, which is owned by Harrow Borough Council and rented to a dairy farmer, was falling into a state of disrepair and needed urgent renovation.

Ms Stephany said: “I am very interested in doing this.

“I have been to a number of care farms in the country, I visit them quite frequently and I think it would be extremely good for us.”

Ms Stephany said she would be interested seeing the project run by a community trust or as some sort of social enterprise.

She added: “It is a rare opportunity – there is green land that could be used for community purposes.

“And there are no care farms in the north London area.”

Angela Dias, chief executive for the Harrow Association for Disabled People, said she would be interested in hearing more about care farms but warns against it becoming an institution.

She said: “On the whole I think it will be very difficult to make it work.

“It is a fact that institutions breed bad care practice.”

The Harrow Times is waiting for a comment from the council.