Editing Wembley (section)

===Recent regenerations===
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 |footer= Central Square during vacancy in 2006 (left) and in 2015 (right) after regeneration
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The town's regeneration is one of the major development projects in [[London]] in the early 21st century, as specified in the London Plan published by the [[Mayor of London]] [[Ken Livingstone]] in 2004. A shopping plaza along High Road, an attractive shopping district in the 1950s, suffered slow decline by the 1980s and was therefore poorly maintained.<ref name="brent.gov.uk"/> Its [[Marks & Spencer]] department store closed in 2005 after 71 years trading.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/marks-spencer-returns-to-wembley-and-creates-55-jobs-3709598|title=Marks & Spencer returns to Wembley and creates 55 jobs|first=Stephanie|last=Harrison|date=21 October 2013|website=Kilburn Times}}</ref>

In a bid to reverse Wembley's fortunes, in the mid-2000s plans were created and approved to completely regenerate the place, carried out by construction company St. Modwen. The first phase, including construction of eighty-five homes, reconstruction of the plaza as a new [[public square]] and opening of new retail units including a [[TK Maxx]], was completed in 2009.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.brentbrain.org.uk/brain/brainzones.nsf/nsgnews/NT00056C82 | title=Public square reopens in Wembley Central|last=Brent Resource and Information Network (BRAIN)|publisher=Brent Council|access-date=25 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stmodwen.co.uk/new-public-square-launched-at-wembley-central/ |title = New Public Square Launched at Wembley Central|date = 9 October 2009}}</ref> The rest was completed in phases until 2015 after nine years' time, with additional retail and housing units.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/business/wembley-central-invites-you-fun-filled-8912022 |title = Wembley Central invites you to fun-filled day to mark shop openings|date = 27 March 2015}}</ref> The local [[Argos (retailer)|Argos]] store also moved to a new unit in the redeveloped Central Square.

Purpose-built [[Brent Civic Centre]] near the stadium was completed in 2013, with all Brent administration moving to this complex. As a result, other offices were closed. The Chesterfield House block on Park Lane that was used as council offices, built in the 1960s replacing a Methodist church that moved further down the road, was demolished in 2017 and replaced by 21 and 26 storey blocks of apartments.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.plmc.org.uk/about-us-1/history-of-park-lane/|title=Park Lane Methodist Church|website=www.plmc.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nla.london/projects/chesterfield-house|title=Chesterfield House|website=New London Architecture}}</ref> Brent House, an office complex on High Road, was sold by the council sold Brent House to a developer called Henley Homes who demolished the building and also replaced it with residential apartments.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/parents-shock-as-building-in-wembley-crashes-down-next-to-3768842|title=Parents' shock as building in Wembley crashes down next to school playground|first=Lucy|last=Mansfield|date=17 March 2017|website=Kilburn Times}}</ref> Mahatma Gandhi House on Wembley Hill Road, another council office block, was also sold off.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/new-homes-bid-for-former-council-building-in-wembley-sold-3737554|title=New homes bid for former council building in Wembley sold for almost £10m|first=Lorraine|last=King|date=13 July 2015|website=Kilburn Times}}</ref> The listed [[Brent Town Hall]] was also disposed and became a French school, [[Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill]].

The regeneration project is focused on the "[[Wembley Park]]" site which includes [[Wembley Stadium]] and [[Wembley Arena]], about a mile northeast from Wembley town centre. The [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Original Wembley Stadium]] closed in October 2000 and was demolished in 2003.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.nce.co.uk/features/nce-insite/wembley-towers-to-arches/8609503.article|title=Wembley: Towers to arches|magazine=New Civil Engineer|date=22 December 2010|access-date=2016-07-03}}</ref> The new Wembley stadium was designed by a consortium including engineering consultant Mott MacDonald and built by the Australian firm Multiplex. It cost £798 million and opened in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wembleystadium.com/Press/Press-Releases/2013/4/90-Years-Of-Wembley-Stadium.aspx|title=90 Years of Wembley Stadium {{!}} Wembley Stadium|last=Stadium|first=Wembley|website=www.wembleystadium.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-07-03|archive-date=11 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611000017/http://www.wembleystadium.com/Press/Press-Releases/2013/4/90-Years-Of-Wembley-Stadium.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Grade II-listed Wembley Arena, now the SSE Arena, has been sensitively refurbished in keeping with its [[Art Deco]] style.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.johnsiskandson.com/uk/expertise/historic-building-restoration/wembley-arena|title=Wembley Arena {{!}} John Sisk and Son|website=www.johnsiskandson.com|access-date=2016-07-03|archive-date=16 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816221059/http://www.johnsiskandson.com/uk/expertise/historic-building-restoration/wembley-arena|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2004, Brent Council approved a mixed use plan by [[Buro Happold]] for the development of 55 [[acres]] (223,000 m<sup>2</sup>) adjacent to the stadium, which was presented by [[Quintain Estates and Development|Quintain Limited]].