THE largest brownfield site in the borough will be redeveloped into housing, a school and offices after being approved unanimously by the council.

Harrow Councils planning committee gave permission for developer Land Securities to turn the Kodak site in Headstone Drive, Harrow, into a primary school, office buildings and 985 homes, at a meeting at the Civic Centre on Tuesday.

The s430million project is expected to create s35m of affordable housing and will be built over 10 to 12 years. Initial designs for the redundant part of the Kodak factory include a tree-lined walkway connecting Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre and Headstone Manor Recreation Ground to Headstone Drive, known as the Green Link.

David Summers, who lives in Harrow, spoke in favour of the proposals at the meeting. He said: This proposal will be not just for our children but also for our childrens children. It is also for the whole of Harrow. It is for future Harrovians.

It delivers a very substantial amount of energy efficient much-needed housing, employment, ancillary life facilities, and hard, soft, green and more sustainable infrastructure.

The Zoom Leisure site will be redeveloped and Kodak FC will move to the Bannister Stadium in Hatch End, but there will be no loss of green space for the borough. The iconic chimney of the Kodak factory and the turbine room from which it rises, will be retained.

Colette OShea, head of development for Land Securities, said: We are absolutely delighted that Harrow Council has approved the plans for the Kodak site.

Since the earliest public events in 2010, it has become clear that the Kodak site is of great local interest with an important heritage legacy. These proposals will breathe new life into Harrow, create jobs and greatly enhance the public green space and amenities in the area enabling this genuinely inspirational place to be at the heart of the borough.

The plans will be referred to the Greater London Authority and the Secretary of State for approval. The Kodak site lies within an identified intensification area covering Harrow town centre, Station Road and Wealdstone that is part of the councils Heart of Harrow area action plan, chosen to house the majority of Harrows allocation of new homes and jobs needed in the next 15 years.