Whitchurch Fields
Whitchurch Fields is a 24-acre playing field site in Harrow North, West London, where the original clubhouse and changing room facilities were destroyed by a fire.
Unable to fund the rebuilding of the clubhouse through public funding, Harrow Council opted to tender the redevelopment and management of new facilities to the private sector on a leasehold basis. We were instrumental in the Whitchurch Field Consortium achieving ‘preferred bidder’ status. Initially, our role was to forge common ground between the developer and the local community to satisfy the council’s public consultation requirements.
Our responsibilities during the bidding process included tailoring the design and sports offer to meet the needs of the community, user groups and the environmental context. We petitioned over 2000 residents on a door-by-door basis and facilitated a public fun day at the grounds, attended by over 1000 members of the community and local stakeholders including the Scouts, Local Schools and Middlesex Cricket Club.
A particular highlight for us was establishing a residents' dialogue committee where we hope to capture collaborative opportunities and dispel myths about the proposals.
