The garages on the Hillgrove estate

A COUNCIL estate in Swiss Cottage is to get a new community centre after planners agreed to the conversion of vacant garages, writes Richard Osley.

The project on the Hillgrove estate off Dobson Close will create space for community events and an “affordable workplace”.

The cul-de-sac previously led to a ‘dark kitchen’ operation run by takeaway giant Deliveroo, which residents strongly opposed due to disruption caused by delivery drivers on bikes.

That operation came to an end in 2023. The plan for a “neighbourhood centre” will transform the empty garages, the council hopes, in line with its wider attempts to identify “underutilised council-owned space”.

A vision for how the transformation will look

A charity or other local organisation is due to be chosen to run the facility.

Ward councillor Izzy Lenga spoke at the planning committee meeting at which the proposals were given the green light shortly before Christmas.

“One of our core missions is estate investment, ensuring our residents on our estates have the facilities, opportunities and spaces they deserve,” she said.

“It’s dynamic, it’s responsive and crucially it puts residents at the heart of shaping what their neighbourhood becomes… Residents have been clear with us for years: there’s no place for activities, no place for community dinners, and no places for residents to come together.”

The garages have been underused for 45 years, she added.