Forum Topic

Green Dragon Lane/Tower Blocks

We were viewing a flat on Green Dragon Lane the other day and noticed the tower blocks sat a bit ominously just down the road.  Can anyone help me with the question:  how rough (or not) is the area/estate around these blocks?  Is it all still council or has a lot of it been sold off privately.  Any info/links would be of interest before we commit to spending a big chunk of money.  Thanks

Tony Whyte ● 7603d22 Comments

hi i lived in the towers for 10 years back in the 80s but still live in brentford its a better place now and with the towers they have security in cornish that watches all the towers as for rough most brentford people are harmless we are very friendly people hear you might get the odd person but hey your get that anywhere these days.we also have the brentford wardens who are on call untill 11pm if you have any problems you can call them they will come and sort the problem if they can and i think they work along side the police.hope this helpsall the best Debbiep.s brentford is up and coming  esp with all the new hotels and posh flats. good luck

Debbie Dewar ● 7602d

I live at the top of Green Dragon Lane, on Ealing Road. I've been here for nerly 11 years and want to back up what Debbie says. Security there will be improved in the Spring by installation of new cameras and digital recorders and changes to the entry systems. Where is the flat you're looking at? I might know someone nearby.

Matt Harmer ● 7602d

Hi  A friend of mine lives there and its pretty grim, the usual stuff, drug dealing, break ins etc schools are awful too - dont know what percentage is still council but wouldn't recommend the area, try Isleworth or Whitton assuming that Chiswick, Twickenham and Richmond are too expensive

Julia Parsons ● 7602d

I have lived in Brentford pretty much all my life and I'm not young, and I can honestly say it's not a bad place to live.  I used to live in the Tower Blocks but that was 30 years ago so I have no recent knowledge of them but a lot of money has been spent on those blocks to improve security etc, and they appear to me to be pretty well maintained.  I would however doubt that many have been sold privately because they would have had to have been bought by cash purchasers as I dont think many lenders would lend on blocks that high.In response to Julia's posting, I don't know where her friends live but find me an area in London these days where drug dealing doesn't take place but I have never been particularly aware of it in Brentford although obviously it goes on just as it does in Chiswick, Ealing, Acton etc.I have never personally experienced a break in nor have any of my family or friends in the area.Although I grew up in Chiswick I went to primary school in Brentford, passed my 11 plus and went on to grammar school.  My children were all educated in Brentford and have done extremely well.  My son's old school, Gunnersbury has a feature on the home page of this website and I believe the schools in the area do reasonably well in all the leagues.  I certainly can't believe Isleworth or Whitton would be any improvement on Brentford

Bernadette Paul ● 7600d

I can only speak as someone who passes through but certainly things seem to be on the up. I would have avoided walking along Green Dragon Lane a few years ago but now I'd do so without a problem even in the evening.

Justin Harris ● 7589d

hello there; I have lived all over Brentford with very few problems. When I lived along Green Dragon lane, the only problem I had was the attitude from other people in different parts of the area/borough when I said I lived there. It is now a mix of social and private housing, and is about to have a very good development built on the old Smith Kline Beecham site, to bring more variety and enterprise to that side of Brentford!Brentford is very safe when compared with some of the other parts of the borough. Chiswick for example had a very violent and well publicised burglary a year or so ago, and if you read the local papers, Chiswick has a massive prob with 'boys on bikes' and other youth probs.  Although there have been quite a few burglaries in Brentford this last couple of years, there is little violent crime, and Brentford is a friendly community spirited place to live. I moved here from Chiswick 15 years ago and have always been very pleased that I made the move.

Helen Martin ● 7587d

The blocks were once fairly notorious but these days they aren't seen as a huge source of problems. Mixed ownership in the area appears to have improved things a lot. I wouldn't say I'd feel totally safe walking through the area at night but then you wouldn't say that for many areas of West London. There are far rougher estates elsewhere in the borough that you'd do well to avoid.

Dan Evans ● 7582d

i have friends that live in both tower block and on the haverfield  estate and if they could get off there everyone of them would do without a seconds thought.

M Dowling ● 7581d

I've lived in the Brentford Towers for over a year. I've lived all over London and I'm very happy here. No trouble, good mix of people. People that want to get out are generally more traditional types who object to multi culturalism. Brentford is an area on the grow.

Justin Anderson ● 7581d

JustinI am an Isleworthian through and through but if I didn't live here I would like to live in Brentford.  There is a good community spirit about the place and a lot of tradition.  I visited the Haverfield/Green Dragon on several occasions during the general election campaign and didn't consider it remotely threatening.  I've always been a "river person" and there are some very nice spots by the water, not least on the Marina.  It is for this reason that I am concerned that any further development should compliment what is there already rather than overwhelm it.

Phil Andrews ● 7581d

I too have a friend who has to live there and does not paint such a romantic picture of Brentford, especially Green Dragon etc. I feel scared when visiting her - yes there are some great characters in Brentford and Pubs etc but the crime problem is serious (as it is in many other areas)

Julia Parsons ● 7580d

actually the friends i refer to have mixed race children so i cant see multi culturalism being a problem. its more the fact that the local crack and heroin dealers do it in the alleyway outside her door and her children have to walk past them everyday to get to school. its also a problem that my other friend catches them injecting heroin on her tower block stairs- i see that a problem. you see its not always to do with the colour of someones skin.!

M Dowling ● 7579d

It is interesting how people have such different experiences of the same place. I have lived in the area for most of the time since the late 80's and have never had any serious trouble. I regularly walk through the Haverfield Estate/Brentford Towers (at all times of day) and along Green Dragon Lane itself. The Labour Party recently surveyed hundreds of people in this area on whether they felt safe (or not) in the area and the vast majority said they felt safe.

Alan Sheerins ● 7578d

"surveyed hundreds of people in this area" Well done Alan,you must have had a very good team out mate which puts your Isleworth lot to shame! ;-)Perhaps Alan and Ann could spare a room in Covent Garden for those who feel unsafe?

Paul Fisher ● 7578d

Another thing to bear in mind in this area is what happens to the vacant land. If Brentford FC get permission to build on the site then the stadium combined with the Fountains Leisure Centre would be a really attractive proposition to have on your doorstep. However if it becomes warehousing and storage depots as is the current plan it will remain a wasteland and probably mean more crime in the area.

Andy Jones ● 7576d

Hi, I've lived here for 11 years without any problems. Council have spent a lot of money over the last few years, new kitchens, bathrooms, entry system & concierge. Etc.

Mr Kelly Hopkins ● 7210d

Mr HWelcome to the Forum and it's pleasing to hear from you and about the improvements to everyones home in Green Dragon Lane.11 years with no problems..that's good.Audrey: I believe that last Thursday afternoon someone arrived on the Forum...and posted some messages on about 5 threads..that promoted to TOPICS to the top of the front page.  It's seems that all the messages were inappropriate and were deleted by the Moderator...leaving the TOPIC in a top postion ..but without a new message!It might have been to demote Vyborg!!

Jim Lawes ● 7209d

There have been other shootings, muggings and even murders in the Brentford area over the last few years but when one happens at Brentford Towers all of a sudden it is 'a problem estate under siege.' There may be drug dealers living in the Butts for all we know so it is wrong to generalise.

Justin Harris ● 7208d