Wembley Park Regeneration

The Challenge

One of Europe’s largest regeneration projects — in one of London’s most complex air quality environments.

Wembley Park sits in the London Borough of Brent — an Air Quality Management Area with some of the highest traffic-related pollutant concentrations in outer London. The project involves transforming a large area of land adjacent to Wembley Stadium into a mixed-use neighbourhood of 4,850 new homes, 1 million square feet of office space, a new school, retail and restaurant uses, and new stadium event-day car and coach parking.

The scale, complexity and longevity of the scheme meant the air quality challenges were significant and evolving. Stadium events generate major traffic peaks. Construction activity across multiple phases creates dust and emissions impacts that change as the development progresses. And the London Plan’s Air Quality Positive requirements mean each application has to demonstrate a net improvement — not just no additional harm.

Our approach

A decade of continuous support — from the Environmental Statement to Reserved Matters.

Air Quality Consultants has worked with Quintain on Wembley Park for over ten years, providing input throughout every stage of the planning and development process. We completed the Air Quality Chapter of the Environmental Statement submitted in support of the 2016 Masterplan approval, and have continued to support the scheme as it has evolved and been built out.

Since Masterplan approval, we’ve undertaken air quality and dust assessments for multiple Section 73 applications — each one requiring a fresh assessment of the cumulative impact of the growing development on local air quality. We’ve also provided ongoing design advice to the project team, helping shape individual phases to meet Air Quality Positive and Air Quality Neutral requirements under the London Plan.

Our work has included detailed atmospheric dispersion modelling of traffic and construction emissions, dust risk assessments during active construction phases, and strategic advice on how each new application fits within the cumulative picture of the wider regeneration.

The Outcome

Planning secured. Air quality improved. A decade of delivery.

The Wembley Park Masterplan received approval from Brent Council in May 2016, and the development has been progressing ever since. Air Quality Consultants has been a consistent presence throughout — providing the technical rigour that planning authorities need and the design intelligence that development teams rely on.