ColArt factory homes plan to go on exhibition (From Harrow Times)

ColArt factory homes plan to go on exhibition in Wealdstone

3:50pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News By David Hardiman, Reporter

The factory in Whitefriars Avenue has been empty since last year.

Plans to build nearly 200 houses and apartments on the site of a former art factory will be put on display next week.

The redevelopment of the ColArt Fine Art and Graphics building in Whitefriars Avenue, Wealdstone, is pressing ahead and the firm wants the public to contribute to a public consultation on the proposals that starts next Wednesday.

Approximately 180 houses and apartments will be built on the 2.4 hectare land, which was vacated last year after the company closed its Windsor & Newton site after more than 70 years with the loss of nearly 200 jobs.

ColArt have reduced the number of homes in the plan after an initial consultation earlier this year, and plan to build more offices than first thought to try and create 130 jobs, as well as selling off part of the site to Salvatorian College for an expansion.

Artist impressions in February included three-storey terraces facing a communal square connecting High Street to Whitefriars Avenue.

The factory, which supplied Prince Charles' household, was seen as one of the last outposts of a bygone era when the borough had a strong industrial presence.

A campaign by councillors, unions and MPs was launched to keep ColArt in the area but failed when the firm announced it would move its headquarters to White City in May last year.

The proposals are part of the wider Harrow and Wealdstone Area Action Plan, a 15-year strategy to regenerate the area with key schemes including the refurbishment of Headstone Manor, redevelopment of the former Kodak site in Wealdstone and Harrow Teachers’ Centre in Tudor Road, and to revamp St Ann’s Road in the town centre.

The council hopes the project will bring £400m of investment into the borough and create new homes and jobs.

ColArt plans to submit its planning application for the project next year after the next stage of consultation.

The exhibition on October 17 runs between 4- 8pm at the old factory in Whitefriars Avenue.