This neighbourhood is a quiet suburban area situated in the western part of Wembley. The locale is served by two stations – Sudbury and Harrow Road, which provide National Rail services, and Sudbury Town on the Piccadilly line, conveniently located at the centre of the neighbourhood. The name was first recorded in the 13th century as ‘Suthbery’. Like the neighbouring area of Wembley, Sudbury is home to a very diverse population, especially those of Indian descent. In fact, the 2011 census demonstrated that more than half the residents were of South Asian origin – including those from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal - all adding to the dynamic, diverse heritage that London is famous for. Aside from the excellent transport links, the area has good access to open green spaces, and this easily walkable neighbourhood is well connected to local amenities. At the very heart of the area near the Sudbury and Harrow Road station, Barham Park provides well-kept Victorian gardens which is a popular relaxation spot with visitors to the area, and families, who in particular enjoy using the children’s play area. It is also surrounded by local community assets such as the Wembley Fire and Police Stations on Harrow Road, as well as the Wembley Community Hospital and Barham Primary School, making it an area with a strong range of community assets.

Sudbury had small beginnings, and the land which the area now occupies was part of the wider Sudbury Manor Common, stretching from Wembley to Harrow on the Hill. In 1630 Sudbury came into the hands of the Churchill-Rushouts family, and gradually over time the land was built up with cottages and inns. It was the coming of the railways that truly galvanised the development of the area, and Sudbury was the first in the Wembley region to undergo suburban development after the station, now called Wembley Central station, was first opened in 1842. When Sudbury gained its own London Underground stations, they were famously designed by Charles Holden, who coined the ‘Sudbury Box’. The design was simple and elegant, and is consistent with other surface-level stations along the Piccadilly line. Now, the ‘Sudbury Box’ is a term which is used to refer to designs with limited rectangular structures, but can include other shapes such as Arnos Grove (which is circular) and Bounds Green (octagonal).

Sudbury is a popular suburban neighbourhood, and has one or two popular residents too. Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel hails from Sudbury, and is now a familiar Hollywood face, having, since his 2008 breakthrough, starred in 2011’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and 2016’s Lion, which was one of the highest-grossing Australian films of all time. In the UK, he also very well known for playing Anwar Kharral in popular drama-series Skins.

Interestingly, the original Sudbury Court was the principal Middlesex residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury until the end of the 14th century. After this, the entire Sudbury manor was divided up and leased out.

The area has sadly seen a small rise in anti-social behaviour in recent years. This is a concern to local residents, for while there have been no reports of any more serious incidents, this kind of behaviour can be seen as off-putting or intimidating to some. On a more positive note, this is being taken seriously by local law enforcement, and both the Metropolitan and British Transport Police are aware. There is generally a very strong sense of community in the area, with a good variety of neighbourhood groups and social organisations to join.

There is very strong representation from locals in the way Sudbury is run. The area organised one of the first neighbourhood forums in London after the system was introduced by the Localism Act in 2011, which allows residents develop their own neighbourhood plan. The Sudbury Town Residents Association is the Neighbourhood Forum for the local area, and is involved with helping to shape a greener and safer Sudbury. As a result, and as Sudbury is not part of the local Designated Growth Areas, the locale is not subject to the same mass development that has transformed nearby Alperton and Wembley. Though the impact of the 8,500 new homes just around the corner will certainly be felt, and locals fear the huge changes may have detrimental effects in their area, it remains to be seen how much. The most recent local development was that of Barham Park by Notting Hill Genesis, which completed in 2018 bringing 338 new homes to the area, but there is little else in the pipeline.