A NEW community centre planned for a derelict site in Queensbury will bring the “community together”, according to the chairman of a park group.

Jayanti Patel, of Friends of Eton Grove Park, is encouraging people in the area to comment on a planning application submitted to Brent Council by private company Pivot Point Community Development Foundation, based in Malvern Avenue, Harrow.

The new centre will be based in Eton Grove, on the site of the former Eton Grove nursery which was closed in 2007.

The plans include a two-storey community centre with a children's nursery, cafe, sports pavilion with changing rooms, office space, conference facility and gym. There will also be a cricket pitch.

Members of the public are being invited to contribute their thoughts on the project during the consultation period, which runs until February 2.

Mr Patel said: “It’s a great facility to have for the area. The amount of things that will be available for local people is amazing and it will be great to bring the community together.

“Pivot Point own a couple of nurseries in Harrow and they are bringing much-needed private funding into the area that the council wouldn’t be able to provide.

“It will benefit us greatly and will be especially good for the schools in the area including Kingsbury and Roe Green."

The friends group discussed held a meeting in August 2008 when the idea was first brought to their attention.

Mr Patel added: “When we held the meeting in 2008 almost everyone was in agreement that it would be good for the area.

"The site was derelict for a good two or three years after the nursery shut and we had to persuade the council to get it knocked down as it was being used for anti-social behaviour.

"Kids were climbing onto the roof and people were saying they saw drug-users using the building.

"We all just wanted something new there.

“It's great because it will also bring football clubs and other sports into the park. We are encouraging people, whatever their views, to comment on the application as the more views are there the better.”

To comment on the application visit www.brent.gov.uk or click on the link below.