London Borough of Brent

Map showing golf courses in borough.

Brent has only one active golf course, which covers a total of 16.50 hectares. This course is publicly owned.

Course NameFreehold Ownership
Northwick ParkOwned by borough

Assuming one hole takes an average of 12.5 minutes to play, and that a maximum of four players can play each hole at the same time, the maximum number of people occupying Brent's courses over a twelve-hour day is 113, or 36 people at a time. Therefore the total maximum density across the borough's golf courses is 2.18 people per hectare.

Brent has an approximate housing density of around 29 homes per hectare. If new homes were to be built on all of the publicly-owned courses in the borough, at this density it would deliver circa 259 homes.

Alternatively, if housing was built on those areas of golf course limited to within 800m of a station or high street, or with a PTAL of 3 or more, then around 346 homes could be delivered at prevailing densities. That figure is 1.49% of total housing target for the next 10 years according to the Intend to the New London Plan.

However, the current London Plan advocates for higher density development in areas with good access to public transport. Assuming a (conservative) target of 60 dwellings per hectare, the total capacity of Brent's golf courses to provide new housing is 722, assuming only those areas of courses within the new London Plan policy H2 zone are reclaimed for housing. That is 3.10% of the borough's total housing target for the next decade.

Based on an average occupancy of 4 people per home (based on 3.1–3.7 hr/unit), the total number of people living within the H2 zone of these courses would be 2,887.

Brent has 7,656 people in temporary accommodation, and 3,319 households on its housing waiting list.

Area of Golf Courses by Freehold Ownership Type

Northwick Park

Northwick Park is a publicly-owned golf course with 9 holes, and an area of 16.50 hectares.

The freehold is owned by London Borough of Brent, under freehold title number MX165843.

12.03 hectares (72.91%) of the course's area lie within the London Plan Policy H2 zone (ie. within 800m of a station or town centre, or with a PTAL of 3 or more).

If the area of this course within the policy H2 zone were released for housing at existing borough densities (around 29 homes per hectare), it might be possible accommodate around 346 homes.

However, with a more ambitious density target of 125% compared to prevailing densities, this could be increased to around 433 homes.

The current London Plan advocates densities of between 35 and 130 dwellings per hectare, depending on PTAL. Assuming an average density of 60 dph, the capacity of golf courses within the new London Plan policy H2 zone is around 722.

All of this course's area is designated as Metropolitan Open Land.

None of this course lies within the green belt.