The development, which will deliver 149 high-quality and genuinely affordable family homes is the first in a series of regeneration sites that Harrow and Wates Residential are bringing forward.
Dozens of Harrow-based suppliers are positioning themselves to play a part in one of the borough’s most significant regeneration projects — the Byron Quarter development in Wealdstone. 34 local suppliers attended a dedicated ‘Meet the Buyer’ event hosted by Harrow Council and Wates Residential, marking the start of a new phase in a plan that will deliver homes, economic growth and long-term community investment.
The development, which will deliver 149 high-quality and genuinely affordable family homes — including new council-owned housing — is the first in a series of regeneration sites that the London Borough of Harrow and Wates Residential are bringing forward.
Boosting through partnership
The event offered suppliers and small businesses the chance to engage directly with the Byron Quarter team, ask questions about forthcoming opportunities, and understand what’s required to become supply-chain ready. In addition to securing work on the two-year Byron Quarter build, businesses will be able to access further procurement opportunities for up to 10 years as the wider regeneration scheme — including Poets Corner, the former Civic Centre site — progresses.
The Council has pledged that at least 15% of its procurement budget will be spent with Harrow-based third-party suppliers. That means the regeneration effort is not just about bricks and mortar — it’s about embedding real economic value into the local economy by creating jobs, providing training, and keeping investment close to home.
Opportunities for all
Work packages on offer at Byron Quarter are extensive, spanning groundworks, carpentry, roofing, plastering, and cladding, right through to soft landscaping, tiling, painting, decorating and even lightning protection. But the scope of opportunity isn’t limited to construction trades.
Other businesses — from local security firms and caterers to print suppliers and site service providers — are encouraged to express interest. Labourers, gate operatives, vehicle marshals, plumbers, electricians, and dry liners are just some of the roles the developers are keen to source locally.
Community-first regeneration
Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, Cllr Marilyn Ashton, emphasised that Byron Quarter is more than just a housing scheme. “Our regeneration developments are about more than just housing,” she said. “As a partnership, we are passionate about creating sustainable communities and enhancing the local economy. This first Meet the Buyer event plays a key part in that ambition, and there will be more as our plans for Poets Corner progress.”
She added that Byron Quarter’s location — set beside Byron Park and connected to the Belmont Trail — makes it an ideal spot for family housing. “This exciting, well-designed development reflects the character of the local neighbourhood,” she said.
Wates: Local first, long-term impact
Leigh Johnson, Regional Development Director at Wates Residential, echoed the Council’s commitment to embedding local benefit. “We’re proud to be working with the London Borough of Harrow to ensure the benefits of regeneration are felt across the local community and economy,” he said.
“By proactively opening up our supply chain locally, we’re creating meaningful opportunities for Harrow-based suppliers to play a part in this positive transformation. Our goal is to make sure local people and businesses are at the heart of this project — from the very start and throughout the years to come.”
A greener, fairer build
Alongside its social and economic goals, the Byron Quarter scheme is also helping Harrow meet its climate commitments. By sourcing local labour and materials wherever possible, the Council aims to reduce transport emissions and align with its pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Using local suppliers not only strengthens community ties, it actively reduces the environmental footprint of large-scale developments — an increasingly important consideration in construction planning.
Support doesn’t end with contract
To further equip local businesses, a programme of follow-up events will run throughout June. These include:
- Friday 27 and Monday 30 June: CITB Grants and Funding Workshops, supporting CITB-registered businesses to maximise training opportunities and levy utilisation.
- Thursday 5 June: Constructionline ‘Going for Gold’ session, guiding businesses through the process of achieving Gold verification — a status that can help secure future contracts and grow credentials.
These sessions aim to empower smaller enterprises and sole traders to navigate procurement systems, access grant funding, and build resilience.
Delivering for Harrow, long into future
As site preparations get underway and construction is set to begin later this year, Byron Quarter is already delivering on its promise: connecting homes to opportunity, development to sustainability, and investment to local people.
With council-backed support, major regeneration plans, and a clear commitment to community-first development, Harrow is laying the foundations for a greener, fairer, and more prosperous future — built in Harrow, by Harrow.
