Brent Council builds pillar on driveway, charges £8,222

A pillar was erected on a driveway in St Gabriels Road, Willesden Green, by Brent Council contractors on 5 November 2026. The cost for the installation and associated administration fees is £8,222.40. The council stated the action was taken because unauthorised driveway works had harmed the character of the Mapesbury Conservation Area.

Seven-year planning dispute

Read Next in News London3 min read

Wembley residents lose Spice Klub nightclub after October shooting

Brent Council revoked the venue's licence and a magistrates’ court ordered permanent closure following a 24‑year‑old being shot on Douglas Avenue.

The enforcement action follows a seven-year planning dispute that began in 2019 when the residents repaved their driveway. They admitted to not applying for planning permission for the works, which involved widening the driveway and reducing soft landscaping. Brent Council identified the driveway as exceeding three metres in width and lacking the required soft landscaping, leading to an enforcement notice being issued in August 2021.

Steve McCormack, a resident affected by the works, stated that the driveway had been widened to accommodate two parking spaces since the 1980s, with planning permission granted at that time. He argued that the council had not engaged with residents and questioned the use of council resources on the matter. Despite appeals, an independent Planning Inspector upheld the council's finding that the unauthorised works harmed the character of the Mapesbury Conservation Area.

Amendments were made to the enforcement notice in January 2023 to include more soft landscaping, with compliance due by July 2023. When the required works were not carried out, the council arranged for the pillar to be installed to ensure compliance with the notice. The council stated that no taxpayer money was used, and the owners would be charged for the contractor's work and administrative costs.

Related Borough Coverage3 min read

Forest Hill families gain soft‑play centre as Gambado opens in former Capitol pub

The historic Capitol building, a former cinema and Wetherspoon, reopens after a £1.3 million makeover, keeping its mezzanine balcony and proscenium arch.

Mr McCormack described the council's decision as "riding roughshod over considerations of natural justice, fairness and common sense," adding that the pillar reduced one parking space and prevented a car from being parked behind a wall. Neighbours had submitted representations supporting the residents, stating the development had improved the road's character and that there was no harm to public amenity.

A Brent Council spokesperson confirmed that the Planning Inspector agreed with the council's assessment that the works harmed the conservation area. The spokesperson added that neighbour support did not outweigh the harm caused by the works. The enforcement notice, the council stated, required changes but did not prevent parking, allowing a three-metre-wide entrance and confirming two cars could still park, though one might need to be moved to let the other out. Ignoring an enforcement notice is a criminal offence, the council noted.