Art Park, Harrow almost empty and ‘unaffordable’ for local artists

The cost of renting a studio at the town centre facility is almost double the price of what is considered by experts to be affordable for artists in London.

Harrow Council says there is “naturally a period of activation” and the authority is working “to address some of the barriers around cost”.

But opposition councillors have slammed what they claim is a botched launch that has left most of the units empty after its first month in operation.

Aneka Shah-Levy, councillor for the Greenhill ward where the facility is located, said: “While I and my fellow ward councillors will always celebrate a new avenue for artists being opened in Harrow, I am disappointed to see that Harrow Council failed to launch an initiative that costs taxpayers thousands.

“While the site sits unused due to Harrow Council’s inability to plan and co-ordinate effectively, hundreds of pounds in taxpayers’ money is likely being wasted on keeping the lights on all day, every day.

“Harrow Council really need to get their act together and provide full transparency for residents as to why the site is not being used for its intended purpose, and what work is being done to get the Art Park operational as soon as possible.”

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The 900sqm redevelopment of former car parking space at Greenhill Way into a “mixed-use creative destination” is a central part of the town centre regeneration.

The local authority described it as a “bold new project dedicated to creativity, community and collaboration”.

However, the Labour opposition claims to have received reports from artists that rents are too high for them to afford.

Art Park is made up of a range of spaces available for rental, including large galleries and greenhouses, as well as ten studio units.

Including a service charge, the 129sqft first floor studios cost £555 per month to rent whilst the 97sqft ground floor units cost £396.

According to a formula used by the London Affordable Artists Studio Network (LAASN), Art Park’s prices are much more expensive than even the rates they suggest at the higher end.

The group of studio providers advocates for “high-quality, affordable, long-term and inclusive studio space” and use The Herbert Affordability Formula to define what an affordable studio price is for artists.

They do this by multiplying their income after tax by 15, which is the suggested percentage of their income that should be allocated to studio fees. This is then divided by the square footage of the studio on offer.

Using this formula, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has calculated that an artist would have to earn £44,400 after tax (around £58,000 gross) for the price of a first floor studio at Art Park to be deemed affordable.

The cost per square foot per year is almost twice the price (£51.65) of the high end of the affordability scale (£27.16) – and for a space half the size.

Harrow Council told the LDRS that the redevelopment of a “small, underutilised” part of the car park was done to bring “greater economic and cultural value” to the town centre and there is “no evidence” that the parking demand has been compromised by the loss of 10 spaces.

The council says the June launch “was not the conclusion” of the process but “rather a starting point”. The launch literature outlined a five-year journey of evolution.

A council spokesperson said: “With any programme of this kind, there is naturally a period of activation. Our partner, the Meanwhile Foundation, are now actively brokering relationships with several promising conversations underway.

“While these things take time, the foundation has deep expertise in cultivating new creative communities. We’re now in that crucial phase, building the momentum that brings such a space to life.

“Art Park is not a stand-alone initiative but is part of a wider vision for revitalising Harrow town centre, improving the public realm, creating new opportunities for local enterprise, and offering alternative uses for underused land.

“We encourage community groups to continue dialogue with Meanwhile Space and we will work with them to address some of the barriers around cost.”

Council leader Paul Osborn, of the Conservatives, hit back at the Labour Group, calling the criticism a “poorly thought through political attack” and accused the opposition of knocking a “fledgling project to support Harrow’s creative industries”.

He told the LDRS: “The Art Park is barely one month old. As a normal part of any opening of a new venue it will take a few weeks/months to get full occupancy, and the council is learning and adapting as we go along.

“Like any new launch, these things take time, but the foundation has professional expertise in working with new creative communities. This Conservative administration is proud to support Harrow’s artists and creative industries.”