Part of Pinner Park Farm to be sold

Despite strong public opposition, Harrow Council is to sell off part of Pinner Park Farm and turn the rest into a country park. The council today announced it will create a 230-acre park on the site currently used as a farm. A small part of the land will be sold off for luxury flats. A brand new public park will be created in Harrow under proposals announced today by Harrow Council. The listed buildings and historical ruins of Pinner Park Farm will be restored. Deputy Leader of Harrow Council, Councillor Keith Ferry, said: “Pinner Park Farm was once a hunting ground, and has been privately let by the council for the last 64 years. These proposals remove inappropriate industrial units from this historic site, and return more than 200 acres of land to the people of the Borough to use and enjoy as they wish. “At a time when urban sprawl is swallowing up so much of London, our proposals also preserve the beautiful views in Pinner Park for the enjoyment of future generations. “We would like to thank local people for making their views clear to us in recent consultations – and we are happy to announce these proposals which have been formed in partnership with them.” When the council first mooted the idea to implement changes to the farm, which is leased by the cattle-breeding O’Hara family, a group formed to fight the scheme. Bruce Watson, chairman of the Pinner Association has described the plan as “akin to vandalism”. He said: “The tenants of the farm know more about what to do with it than Harrow Council which has a history of maltreating Green Belt land.” Harrow Council will now be developing the proposals and will consult on the more detailed plans for the site in the first half of 2015. This will give residents another opportunity to comment on the proposals.