New Brent Cross West (Thameslink) station

[dk1]

I see Thameslink have announced today that 575,000 passengers have passed through since the station opened one year ago averaging around 2000 passengers each day. Good start considering it’s a catalyst for future nearby development.

 

[43066]

I see Thameslink have announced today that 575,000 passengers have passed through since the station opened one year ago averaging around 2000 passengers each day. Good start considering it’s a catalyst for future nearby development.

Indeed. The local area is currently a building site - many, many properties being built there over the next few years.

Circa. £500k for a studio flat near Silkstream junction, in zone 3, seems utterly mad, but there we go. £7-800k for a reasonably sized two bedder.

 

[dk1]

Indeed. The local area is currently a building site - many, many properties being built there over the next few years.

Circa. £500k for a studio flat near Silkstream junction, in zone 3, seems utterly mad, but there we go. £7-800k for a reasonably sized two bedder.

Must pay a visit. Not been that way for a few years apart from passing through at speed.

 

[43066]

Must pay a visit. Not been that way for a few years apart from passing through at speed.

I honestly wouldn’t bother. Passing through at speed, on the way to somewhere else, is by far the best way to experience that area. Cricklewood is still pretty grim as a location.

I suppose there’s always Hendon RAF museum a little further north, if you’re that way inclined. Not much else to recommend it, really, unless you’re looking for an investment property!

 

[Mikey C]

You can visit Brent Cross shopping centre the "scenic way" I suppose

 

[Dima]

Must pay a visit. Not been that way for a few years apart from passing through at speed.

You definitely should! The area has changed a lot over the last two-three years, and for the better

 

[Ladder23]

Must pay a visit. Not been that way for a few years apart from passing through at speed.

Don’t waste your time it still looks a cess pit, many many years away from worth a visit imo

 

[Dima]

Don’t waste your time it still looks a cess pit, many many years away from worth a visit imo

That’s a bit harsh. The area has definitely improved. Check out the Claremont Park https://www.instagram.com/brentcrosstown?igsh=MTFncjduYzZuNm9tbQ==

 

[Ladder23]

That’s a bit harsh. The area has definitely improved. Check out the Claremont Park https://www.instagram.com/brentcrosstown?igsh=MTFncjduYzZuNm9tbQ==

I pass through cricklewood most week nights when I work along the MML, stand firm by what I said, I think this country generally has a major depressing architecture and infrastructure problem, I despise London sadly

 

[dk1]

Don’t waste your time it still looks a cess pit, many many years away from worth a visit imo

I could imagine. Might just visit the shopping centre.

 

[cle]

Most of London is pretty grim once you leave Zone 2/3, because it starts to look a lot like the rest of the country; suburban, generic and car-centric.

 

[dk1]

You definitely should! The area has changed a lot over the last two-three years, and for the better

Thanks. I’m going to nip over that way in the next few weeks.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Thanks. I’m going to nip over that way in the next few weeks.

Brent Cross Shopping Centre - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Quite an interesting story about Brent Cross shopping centre. Quite a success really (though it decimated some of the local shopping centres - noteably Wembley) , certainly pulls people in from as far away as St Albans.

Not done the walk from the new station , it used to be a bit bleak !

 

[Dima]

I pass through cricklewood most week nights when I work along the MML, stand firm by what I said,

And I live there
As I said, the area is changing a lot for the better, and I find this transformation quite interesting. The new park next to the station is quite good. So if someone wants to visit, I see no reason to discourage them.

I think this country generally has a major depressing architecture and infrastructure problem, I despise London sadly

This sounds more like your problem with the UK and London in general, not with Cricklewood specifically.

Not done the walk from the new station , it used to be a bit bleak !

The walk from the new station to the shopping centre isn’t much better, though there’s a bus between them.

The station is build primarily to support new development which is right next to it, not the shopping centre.

 

[dk1]

Brent Cross Shopping Centre - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Quite an interesting story about Brent Cross shopping centre. Quite a success really (though it decimated some of the local shopping centres - noteably Wembley) , certainly pulls people in from as far away as St Albans.

Not done the walk from the new station , it used to be a bit bleak !

Last time I went to that shopping centre was in the early 2000s and a poor elderly lady fell down an escalator. Everybody just watched so I ran up shouting why don't you press the emergency stop ffs.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jan 2025 ==

Yes, looking forward to the walk from the new station.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

he station is build primarily to support new development which is right next to it, not the shopping centre.

That was made very clear in the discussions twixt the DfT and the various agencies - the access to the well established shopping centre was not the prime reason - a very good example of devlopment including a sensible and do-able railway input.

 

[DavidGrain]

A few months ago on a gricing tour I lead a small group of friends out to Brent Cross West station. We did not leave the station but looked out of the windows both sides and we were impressed with the work going on.

 

[Mikey C]

I'm pretty sure access to the shopping centre from the south will be improved as part of the wider regeneration project. A major flaw of the area at the moment is that it's really unpleasant to cross the A406, cutting off the shopping centre from the retail park and residents on the other side.

 

[bnc2018]

I'm pretty sure access to the shopping centre from the south will be improved as part of the wider regeneration project. A major flaw of the area at the moment is that it's really unpleasant to cross the A406, cutting off the shopping centre from the retail park and residents on the other side.

That was the plan (see for instance

https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/property-news/garden-bridge-to-go-ahead-in-london-over-the-north-circular-in-ps5bn-brent-cross-revamp-a115506.html)

But I believe that's been cancelled/paused (https://www.standard.co.uk/business...n-to-halt-brent-cross-expansion-a3894856.html), and the only bit going ahead at the moment is the housing development to the south

 

[jon0844]

Brent Cross Shopping Centre - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Quite an interesting story about Brent Cross shopping centre. Quite a success really (though it decimated some of the local shopping centres - noteably Wembley) , certainly pulls people in from as far away as St Albans.

Not done the walk from the new station , it used to be a bit bleak !

The gentrification is coming along nicely and it will soon become much like the former Olympic village at Stratford, with prices to match. If you take a walk around and go anywhere near the North Circular then as a pedestrian you'll absolutely hate it and wonder what they were thinking in the 60s and 70s (we know what they were thinking - own a car or go home) but I believe there are some changes happening to improve pedestrian access and maybe help cycling, so give it five or ten years and I think we'll see a transformation and the station will only continue to grow in passenger use.

If there's better connectivity to the shopping centre (starting with the new buses but also the walking routes later) then I can see the station getting more trains calling there one day too.

 

[DavidGrain]

If we get the West London Orbital Line then Brent Cross West will get a massive increase in passenger numbers.

 

[Mikey C]

The gentrification is coming along nicely and it will soon become much like the former Olympic village at Stratford, with prices to match. If you take a walk around and go anywhere near the North Circular then as a pedestrian you'll absolutely hate it and wonder what they were thinking in the 60s and 70s (we know what they were thinking - own a car or go home) but I believe there are some changes happening to improve pedestrian access and maybe help cycling, so give it five or ten years and I think we'll see a transformation and the station will only continue to grow in passenger use.

If there's better connectivity to the shopping centre (starting with the new buses but also the walking routes later) then I can see the station getting more trains calling there one day too.

It'll come up in the world, but I don't see it becoming a "desirable" place to live, but rather just another high density residential area.

 

[43066]

It'll come up in the world, but I don't see it becoming a "desirable" place to live, but rather just another high density residential area.

The good transport links, NW postcode and proximity to Hampstead help push values up, of course.

 

[Mikey C]

The good transport links, NW postcode and proximity to Hampstead help push values up, of course.

Cricklewood has had similar transport links for 100 years without becoming a desirable area, while Hendon one station the other way is fairly rundown as well.

 

[43066]

Cricklewood has had similar transport links for 100 years without becoming a desirable area, while Hendon one station the other way is fairly rundown as well.

But, as with other parts of London such as Stratford and Lewisham, high property prices and insatiable demand for housing mean that a lot of new housing is being built in traditionally less desirable areas to take advantage of those links in a way that wasn’t economically viable before. The same thing is now happening at Brent Cross. Hendon also has a lot of new flats going up.

The Thameslink service was also substantially enhanced in 2018.

 

[Mikey C]

But, as with other parts of London such as Stratford and Lewisham, high property prices and insatiable demand for housing mean that a lot of new housing is being built in traditionally less desirable areas to take advantage of those links in a way that wasn’t economically viable before. The same thing is now happening at Brent Cross. Hendon also has a lot of new flats going up.

The Thameslink service was also substantially enhanced in 2018.

Of course people will move in, but what I'm saying is that the likes of Brent Cross, Hendon, Colindale etc won't become desirable areas. People will move there because they're a bit cheaper than other parts of London. Or rather, not quite as expensive!

Stratford has the Olympic park and Westfield, which is a much nicer that Brent Cross shopping centre. It's also nearer the centre, and nearer Canary Wharf and Docklands too.

 

[eh_oh]

The Thameslink service was also substantially enhanced in 2018.

Not and Hendon and Cricklewood; it was 4tph then and it's 4tph now.

 

[43066]

Of course people will move in, but what I'm saying is that the likes of Brent Cross, Hendon, Colindale etc won't become desirable areas. People will move there because they're a bit cheaper than other parts of London. Or rather, not quite as expensive!

Stratford has the Olympic park and Westfield, which is a much nicer that Brent Cross shopping centre. It's also nearer the centre, and nearer Canary Wharf and Docklands too.

That’s true - they’re just going to become dormitory areas rather than destinations in their own right. Stratford has moved more in the destination direction due to the Olympic legacy and shopping centre - although as soon as you leave the Westfield you’re close to some pretty rough parts!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jan 2025 ==

Not and Hendon and Cricklewood; it was 4tph then and it's 4tph now.

Even off peak? Fair enough I had misremembered - although of course post 2018 it’s now four 700s which were a decent step up in capacity over their predecessors, and with much better onward connectivity given the enhanced TL network, and latterly the Elizabeth Line from Farringdon.

 

[Dima]

If we get the West London Orbital Line then Brent Cross West will get a massive increase in passenger numbers.

I am not so sure about that. How many people will need to go from Brent Cross to Acton or Hounslow? There will be some traffic, sure, but I don’t think it will be comparable to that going to/from Central London on Thameslink.

Cricklewood has had similar transport links for 100 years without becoming a desirable area, while Hendon one station the other way is fairly rundown as well.

There was no Brent Cross West station, so this area had quite poor public transport accessibility, while being divided by a railway line.

And the London demographic as a whole was different - with a declining population, there was less incentive to invest in the areas like Cricklewood. It had changed now, and many previously not-so-desirable areas are becoming more desirable now.

Stratford has the Olympic park and Westfield, which is a much nicer that Brent Cross shopping centre. It's also nearer the centre, and nearer Canary Wharf and Docklands too.

Westfield Stratford is nicer and has a larger variety of shops, no questions here. It may change though.

Stratford, however, isn’t closer to centre than Brent Cross, though it is better connected to many places across London and beyond. Stratford is also mostly surrounded by relatively poorer areas, while you have nicer parts of Golders Green, Finchley and Hampstead not far from Brent Cross.

According to the developer, Brent Cross is going to get a new cinema and music venue, a university campus, retail space etc: https://brentcrosstown.co.uk/retail. If it all comes to life, I can see it becoming an attractive destination.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Cricklewood has suffered as a neighbourhood as a result of two main factors: (a) too much traffic - on both the A5 and the roads linking Willesden Green with Golders Green
(b) being divided between three different boroughs, none of which have shown it much care until quite recently (and arguably only of the three then). Although in principle, it's next to Hampstead (I've seen estate agents describe flats on sale on Cricklewood Lane as being in "Lower Hampstead Borders", and if the pollution aspect were sorted out, could be a pretty pleasant place (as indeed, if you get off the main roads, it can be already)


I'm not at all convinced that Brent Cross shopping centre, unless it undergoes a comprehensive (and creative) reinvention, has much of a future, at least not in its current form. It really was the first project of its type in the UK, and (having utterly destroyed the shopping centres of Hendon and Neasden even more than that of Wembley) now feels a bit stranded out of time. It's always really been about car access (fine for the wealthier suburbs to its north) - the walk from the renamed Brent Cross tube was never exactly pleasant or easy.

The whole area, including that around the new Station, is just on the border of Inner London, which generally has sufficient public transport to make car ownership optional for many, and Outer London, where that is not necessarily the case. With some imagination, the future of the area should be bright - it's well-connected, not far from Central London, and (via West Hampstead, at least) has excellent transport connections, and numerous very pleasant neighbourhoods are nearby.