A local historian has reignited his campaign to stop a Victorian building from being turned into flats.

There are plans to redevelop the building in Stonebridge’s Morland Gardens into 65 new homes, alongside workspace and an adult education centre.

Philip Grant, from the Wembley History Society, has challenged these plans, suggesting the site has local architectural and historical significance.

He said it would be a shame to lose such an “elegant” building – one that was built when the Stonebridge Park area was emerging in the 19th century.

Mr Grant has previously criticised Brent Council’s approach in approving the plans and has since written an open letter urging it not to award a contract for the redevelopment.

He said there are, in his view, several outstanding legal issues that should be cleared up before anyone is given permission to start work.

These include plans to build over a footpath near the site, the loss of trees and the impact of a water pipe under the current building.

Mr Grant previously said demolishing the building would “set a precedent” for other historical buildings in Brent to be lost.

Speaking at a council planning meeting in 2020, when permission was granted, he said the decision would “put every heritage asset in the borough at risk”.

Council planning officers had suggested the opportunity to provide dozens of new affordable homes in the area outweighed any potential downsides.

A steering group for the area set up by Brent Council said the new development will be “an essential step in reinvigorating the local community, by providing meaningful opportunities for people to live, learn and work sustainably”.

Planning agent Tibbalds said the scheme would result in new homes, workspace and educational facilities for the community.

It added: “Overall, the negligible significance of the current locally listed building, and the restrictions that this would impose on the future development help to justify the demolition of the building.

“This demolition would result in the creation of spaces of greater quality, scale and efficiency than those created if the exiting building was retained.”