Situated within the London Borough of Brent just south of Wembley, this area incorporates the neighbourhood of Alperton. Alperton is characterised by its highly diverse local population, which is home to one of the capital’s highest populations of BME groups. The area has a suburban feel and is predominantly residential, encompassing a nice mix of 1930’s family homes and cul-de-sacs. For residents of Alperton, there are good range of local amenities available, including access to Wembley Town via a short bus ride or walk, which is the closest accessible major town centre. Connections to central London are good, with Alperton Underground station just north of the postal boundary on the Piccadilly line, and just south of the area is Hanger Lane station which sits on the Central line. For those who are more car-inclined, the area is situated just next to the North Circular Road, giving excellent connection to one of London’s key ring roads. There are number of local assets which are enjoyed by residents, namely the Grand Union Canal which passes through the area. For families and children there are also good sports facilities available at Alperton Sports ground along Alperton Lane, or alternatively One Tree Hill Recreation Ground provides lovely views towards Harrow on the Hill, Wembley and central London – and it’s also a recognised wildlife area.

Alperton, which was first recorded as ‘Alprinton’, originally consisted of just 12 buildings. A wooden bridge over the River Brent was erected by around 1432-3, but was not replaced by a sturdier concrete bridge until 1874. During the medieval, Tudor and Stuart periods Alperton was a popular spot for stag hunting. Slowly but surely, the population grew from that of a small rural hamlet to a bustling local trade point, which was greatly helped by the creation of the Grand Junction Canal (now Great Union) which was cut through the area in 1801. The subsequent growth of work handling for shipments of sand, hay, gravel and coal boosted trade. Passenger barges used to pass through the town, but with the arrival of the railway in Wembley in 1842, barge traffic declined. The areas’ position as the most industrialised village in the Wembley area, at one point threatened Alperton with the title of ‘the dusthole of the Metropolis’ due to the thick smell of sewage and gas lime which spewed from the barge shipments. The creation of the Urban District Council in 1894 however led to the areas improvement.

Tying in with its modern, diverse identity, in the 1970’s there was an influx of East African Asians of Gujarati origin to the area, and Ealing Road saw the growth of a vibrant and diverse local economy selling a variety of jewellery and other specialist products. If you’re musically inclined, you may be interested to learn that Keith Moon, legendary English drummer for The Who, grew up in Alperton. According to Rolling Stone, he was ‘the greatest prankster in the history of rock & roll’.

The Grand Union Canal that weaves through the Alperton area is not just a scenic asset, but has witnessed some rather dramatic episodes too… in fact, it was the scene of the Eastenders episode in which Dirty Den Watts appeared to die when he was shot and fell into the canal. If you’re not an Eastenders fan, this may not mean too much to you, but it certainly was a moment of TV gold for its followers.

Unfortunately, it has been reported that some of the local open spaces surrounding the area haven’t been that well maintained, which has led to some instances of anti-social behaviour. On a more positive note, Brent Council have responded encouragingly to this challenge, and have targeted Alperton as a focus for regeneration and improved social infrastructure, so as to improve amenity space for all residents. This will ensure that future change benefits ‘existing as well as new communities and which is environmentally and socially sustainable’.

Since its designation by the Mayor of London as a Growth Zone, Alperton has truly been at the heart of Wembley’s regeneration plans with thousands of new homes recently finished or in the process of being built. The area recently saw the completion of the first phase of the giant Grand Union development in 2022, which will bring with it over 3,300 flats, 1,150 of which will be affordable, as well as cafés, retail, green space, a nursery, bars and a community centre all on the 11-acre site of a former industrial estate. Despite certain qualms from locals about scale and setting, the whole project will be completed in stages over the next couple of years. There are numerous other projects underway too, with The One Hundred and the Alperton Waterside residential developments promising the neighbourhood an additional 500 homes by 2024.