This neighbourhood area sits a comfortable distance away from good transportation links and is typical of the 20th century suburban development in north west London. Winding residential streets with predominantly semi-detached family-sized homes characterise the area, but there are also some apartment blocks and other residential buildings such as care homes for older residents near the stations too. This area of Harrow is particularly popular with those who wish to live close to local shops and amenity: to the south of the area, Harrow town centre and the St Anns and St Georges shopping centre provide a wide range of shops and facilities, and a large Tesco superstore on the western side of the area supplies a large range of food and home products. Harrow recreation ground and park sits on the eastern side of the area, providing space for families and young people to play.

The area is situated snugly between Wealdstone to the north of the area, and central Harrow to the south. Harrow is a large urban district of Middlesex, and like much of its neighbouring boroughs in the greater London area, has roots as a rural retreat and outpost for Londoners in the centuries building up to its emergence as a London suburb. In the medieval and Elizabethan period, the area in Middlesex which now constitutes Harrow was a popular destination for wealthy Londoners to visit in the summer. From the 17th century onwards, Harrow was increasingly settled by merchants and minor gentry, who owned property there and the area gradually built up. The arrival of the railways in the Victorian period, and eventual industrial and suburban development in the early 20th century, saw the locality really start to take shape. Unfortunately, the Harrow and Wealdstone station, located in the northern part of the area, was the site of an infamous train crash in October 1952, when three trains crashed within minutes of each other. 112 people died in what is considered the worst rail accident in English history. In 2012, 60 years after the ordeal, a ceremony was held in the local community to commemorate the lives of those lost in the crash. Today, rail accidents are thankfully incredibly rare, and the station is still in constant use.

Harrow is home to quite a few famous faces, including the Greek-Cypriot lover of ‘mysterious girls’, Peter Andre, who was a resident of the area. Known for his chart-topping hit, which was released in 1996, Andre has carved himself a place in the hearts of British reality-show culture.

‘You’ve got no fans!’ and ‘I’ll give it ya’ are just two of the famous catchphrases of the internet sensation ‘The Wealdstone Raider’. Gordon Hill, a resident of Harrow and ardent support of the Wealdstone F.C, became an internet-hit when he was unknowingly filmed humorously mocking football rivals at a football game in 2013. Surprisingly, the video of Hill gained millions of views and overnight ‘the Wealdstone raider’ became an internet sensation. Hill got the last laugh, though, and has since released a charity single off the back of his fame and raised thousands for charity through its sales.

Whilst the neighbourhood is well located in term of its proximity to local amenities and the town centre, it has encountered some problems with anti-social behaviour, particularly near the Harrow and Wealdstone station. Harrow Council is aware of these problems, and fortunately is involved in tackling them as part of a wider effort to challenge crime in the area.

Harrow is high on the agenda for the Mayor of London, thanks to its excellent transport connections to central London and wider connections to northwest London. This is reflected in the Mayor’s Outer London Fund, which has given £472,000 for Round One and £1.8m for Round Two, (which will be matched by £1 million from Harrow Council) for wide-ranging improvements to Harrow Town Centre. The borough on the whole is set for a total rejeuvenation too, with the £690m ‘Building a Better Harrow’ scheme in conjunction with Wates Residential, set to bring 1,500 new affordable homes, a civic centre, numerous new commercial spaces, as well as plenty of new and improved green space over the coming ten years. The focus of these developments will be at Poet’s Corner, Byron Park, and Peel House car park.