A plan to sell Brent Council’s freehold interest in Northwick Golf Course has triggered opposition from councillors across party lines, with critics warning the move could put a significant green space in North London at risk.
The 42-acre site in Brent is occupied by Playgolf (Northwick Park) Limited under a 99-year lease. But concern has grown since the council approved disposal of the freehold on February 9, 2026, with objectors arguing that selling the land could weaken protections and open the door to future development.
Brent Council has defended the decision, saying the sale would not affect the existing public right of way and that the land’s Metropolitan Open Land designation would remain in place. The authority also said any future development proposals would still need to go through the planning system.
Cross-party opposition to the sale
The Labour administration approved the plans despite 205 objections and challenges from all other parties, according to the source material. That has led to a rare cross-party pushback from opposition councillors, who say the case for selling has not been properly made.
Conservative group leader Cllr Suresh Kansagra said the council had not shown why disposing of an income-generating asset was a better option than keeping it. He said: “The council should be able to demonstrate clearly why selling is better than keeping an income-producing asset with long-term value. We do not believe that case has yet been made.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Anton Georgiou also raised concerns about what the sale could mean in the longer term. He said: “The interest of our community isn’t typically the primary concern of developers and there is a risk that this decision will allow the expansion of high-density tower blocks into the area. Residents deserve to have a say when these kinds of major changes are proposed on their doorstep.”
Why campaigners are worried
Opponents say the issue is not only about ownership, but about control over a site they see as important to the local area. Concerns have centred on the possibility that a freehold sale could make the land more vulnerable in future, even if no immediate development plans have been announced.
The Brent Green Group leader also objected to the move, arguing that the land should not be treated simply as a commercial asset. She said the green space plays an important role for wildlife and residents’ wellbeing, and warned that once public land is sold it can be extremely difficult to bring back into public control.
Another strand of the criticism is financial. Opposition groups argue that Brent Council has not yet demonstrated why selling a site that already generates income is more viable than retaining it. That question has become central to the dispute, alongside fears about the long-term future of the land.
What Brent Council says
A Brent Council spokesperson said the proposed sale forms part of the authority’s wider Property Strategy. The council said selling sites that are vacant, costly to maintain or no longer aligned with residents’ priorities allows money to be reinvested elsewhere in the borough.
The spokesperson also said the golf course sale would not affect the legally protected public right of way across the site. The council added that the land’s designation as Metropolitan Open Land under both the Mayor’s London Plan and Brent’s Local Plan would remain unchanged.
On the question of future building, the council said any proposal to develop the site would still be subject to statutory planning processes, including a chance for residents to submit their views before any final decision is made.
- Site: Northwick Golf Course, Brent
- Land size: 42 acres
- Current occupier: Playgolf (Northwick Park) Limited under a 99-year lease
- Council decision approved: February 9, 2026
- Objections received: 205
The dispute now leaves Brent facing continued pressure from opposition councillors and residents who want the authority to reconsider the sale. For now, the council’s position is that legal protections remain in place, but critics argue that selling the freehold still creates uncertainty over the future of one of the area’s green spaces.
