Neighbours fear plans to build a seven-storey apartment block will leave more than 50 flats in "complete darkness" - and some have threatened legal action.
Developer Daejan Investments wants to demolish eight shops in Sevenex Parade and London Road in Wembley to make way for a six and seven-storey building of 41 flats.
Dozens of people living nearby are urging Brent Council to refuse the scheme due to the potential impact it will have on them.
One neighbour feels it will create "a complete wall" in front of their building and restrict light to more than 50 homes.
They said: “My flat and all the other 50 plus flats facing London Road receive our sunlight only in the morning from the north east side till noon. All the windows of our flats are facing this side only and there is no other way to get the sunlight.
“The proposed construction of a seven-storey building is too close to our flat and therefore it will create a complete wall in front of us blocking any natural sunlight at any time of the day and in fact we will come under shadow of it.”
The most vocal opponents to the scheme are the Central Apartments on Wembley Central Square (CARTA), whose chairman submitted an objection on behalf of more than 90 families. They feel that, should it go ahead, the scheme risks devaluing their homes, a significant loss of sunlight, and creating privacy issues.
The chairman wrote: “This is a significant risk to our investment and with this objection , we are hoping this development proposal would immediately [be] stopped to progress any further. In the event this proposal is progressed further without any further consultation [or] clarity on how the affected leaseholders’ concerns would be addressed, commercially and technically, we reserve the right to explore legal options.”
Developers said plans are "carefully stepped down and back to ensure there are no significant impacts on the surrounding buildings".
A report by council officers states that the amount of lost daylight created by the development is "acceptable".
If approved, the 41 flats would comprise 20 one-bedroom, nine two-bedroom, and 12 three-bedroom apartments.
The development will provide no affordable housing units as a financial viability assessment concluded providing any would make the scheme "unviable".
The London Plan and Brent local plan state that new developments must meet a 35 per cent affordable housing threshold, but if this is deemed not viable following a viability assessment then it can still go ahead. If this development met the affordable housing target, the assessment concluded that it would have a deficit of £1.88 million.
A statement by council officers says a review of the assessment has concluded that the scheme "cannot reasonably" deliver any affordable housing.
However, a later review will consider whether a contribution could be made towards affordable housing elsewhere in the borough.
Council officers have recommended the plan for approval. The application will be heard by Brent Council’s planning committee at it its next meeting (May 8), where a decision on the development is due to be made
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