A community centre in north-west London associated with preventing race riots in the 1980s faces demolition after being denied heritage protection.
Bridge Park Community Centre in Harlesden was put forward for national heritage status following a public campaign launched last year by Harlesden People’s Community Council. The application was rejected by Historic England, the public body responsible for listing and protecting historic buildings.
The decision means the site remains unprotected as Brent Council advances plans to redevelop the Hillside Corridor, which includes the centre, as part of a £600m investment programme.
Campaigners argue the loss of the building would represent the erasure of an important chapter in black British history. The centre was founded in the aftermath of the Brixton race riots of 1981 and went on to become the largest black-led community enterprise in Europe. Supporters say it played a role in empowering the local black community and preventing further unrest.
Members of Harlesden People’s Community Council have said they will appeal against the ruling. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the group said: “Historic England’s decision not to list Bridge Park ignores its historic and symbolic importance, privileging architectural merit over the rich story embedded in the building’s fabric.
“It raises serious concerns that black, community-led histories like Bridge Park are being undervalued, despite clear precedent for protecting modest or utilitarian buildings on the basis of their historic significance alone.”
The denial of Bridge Park heritage status has been welcomed by Brent Council, which said it removed a potential obstacle to redevelopment. The authority plans to demolish the centre, which was built inside a former bus depot, and replace it with 1,000 homes alongside retail units, a hotel and a new community hub.
The council has previously said the site has been partially derelict for 15 years and that refurbishment would be prohibitively expensive. It added that the leisure centre, which closed in July 2025, had “reached the end of its usable life” and that the building “no longer meets modern standards for accessibility, safety, or flexibility”.
