The leader of Harrow Council has insisted that a major regeneration project will not see homes built onto a popular park.

Cllr Sachin Shah was accused of encroaching on the borough’s green spaces but assured residents that “not a blade of grass will be lost” at Byron Park as part of the Byron Quarter scheme in Wealdstone.

He was challenged at a hustings event by Swan Kazi, of Harrow Parks Forum, who suggested that some of his administration’s decisions were threatening the future of the region’s parks.

Cllr Shah said he appreciates the value of green spaces in Harrow and was adamant that changes to Byron Park will be for the greater good.

He said: “Our parks are so important; they are what makes Harrow different to other places in London.

“And we will not be building on Byron Park, not a blade of grass will be lost. It will be a better park, with better facilities and more things to do.”

The council has been a strong proponent of the Byron Quarter project which, it believes, will positively transform the area.

It plans to revitalise the outdoor facilities at the park, provide a new leisure centre, expand the gymnastics centre and build “much-needed” homes.

It also said that the extensive consultation process has been predominately positive, though not everyone is convinced.

Mr Kazi questioned Cllr Shah’s claim that the park would remain untouched as the council has “openly admitted” that some green space will be affected.

“We dispute both the building and their underestimate of the loss in park space,” he said.

“Good quality parks are vital to good mental health, to tackle social isolation and other ailments, and can be seen as both a preventative and as a cure.”

The link between outdoor spaces and improved mental health was cited by other candidates at the Mind in Harrow hustings, including Independent Niamh McEnery, Liberal Democrat Paolo Arrigo and the Green Party’s Mark Baker.

All, including the council leader, were clear in their beliefs that parks are a vital part of Harrow’s make up – even if they could not agree on the future of Byron Park.

Cllr Norman Stevenson said: “They belong to the community, and they are the lungs of Harrow.

“If we do not care about our environment then there’s no future for any of us.”

And while Mr Kazi noted cuts to park budgets of 40 per cent, Harrow Council hopes to, in the case of Byron Park, inject £2-3 million into it from its overall regeneration scheme.