Wealdstone, which sits in the London borough of Harrow, has a population of just over 12,000 according to the 2011 census, and like much of the wider Harrow area, has very culturally and ethnically mixed profile. Most of the neighbourhood is composed of residential streets, which is centred around the nearest access to public transport in the area, Harrow & Wealdstone rail and underground station. The north of the neighbourhood tends to be more expensive, whilst dwellings near the Wealdstone end cost less. This trend reflects the general composition of the neighbourhood, in which residents of both higher and lower incomes reside, making this a truly mixed area. The area has a number of commercial and business offerings, as well as many cultural and religious centres such as the Wealdstone Baptist church, the Bhaqwan Mahavir Digamber Jain Temple and the Sacred heart Roman Catholic. Aside from this, the abundance of local schools reflects the high number of families that reside in the area, including Belmont middle school, (a popular local choice!) Weald Rise primary school and St Josephs Catholic primary school.

The neighbourhood area saw little in the way of development until the 19th century, reflecting the rural-urban periphery it was a part of until the expansion of London in the early 20th century. Despite this, from around the 17th century a number of notable people and wealthy landowners built residences in the Belmont area, in order to enjoy the beautiful English countryside surrounding. The usual tale, familiar to suburban areas such as Belmont, would have seen the arrival of the railways in the late 19th century become the catalyst for development. The railway station in Belmont, however, had a less successful story. Initially, the railway line that was established in 1890 ran from Harrow & Wealdstone up to Stanmore Village, partly sponsored by local hotelier Frederick Gordon as a means to increase traffic to his establishment. Despite this, the railway line saw little use (perhaps as a result of it not taking its passengers anywhere particularly useful) and in 1932 a second station – Belmont – was created as way to try and increase usage.

This too was unsuccessful and services subsequently ceased, and the railway fell into disuse. More recently, Belmont has become a favourite suburban spot, and has now – luckily for current residents – got much improved travel connections towards and out of central London.

The area of Belmont received its name from one of the early wealthy patrons of the area in the 1700’s – Henry James Brydges, who also happened to be the Earl of Carnarvon and first Duke of Chandos. Deciding to make use of the spectacular views available, in the 1720’s he built a beautiful summerhouse atop a mound – named Belmont – which overlooked a huge area. Brydges was a star of the 18th century.

Generally, the Belmont area is positively regarded and has a lower rate of crime than the London average. However, recent bouts of crime in the wider Harrow area, including stabbings and burglaries, have led some residents to voice their concerns regarding the perceived increase in crime. Despite this, Belmont is generally regarded as a safe neighbourhood, something which is bolstered by the strong sense of community and active community policing that keeps residents informed and engaged with the local police team. In fact, local police regularly hold drop-in meetings for residents to attend, as well as visiting local schools to help educate and inform all generations of the community.

The borough of Harrow 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. Wealdstone is at the heart of these developments and improved transport infrastructure will be coming to the area in order to cope with the increased demand around Poet’s Corner, Byron Park, and Peel House car park, as well as £2.25m secured to invest in high street improvements. There is also the recent Palm House development right by the station, which will offer 200 co-living studio apartments alongside co-working and shared spaces, as well as a gym, spa, cinema and cocktail bar. The Harrow and Wealdstone Heights project has also recently completed, bringing 186 new flats to Palmerston Road.