College Park, Hammersmith & Fulham

A late Victorian urban village in the far north of the borough, tucked between the railway line and the western end of Harrow Road

Renovation of prop­erties on Waldo Road

There was never a college in College Park: the name derives from Oxford’s All Souls College, which used to own the land. Ther area’s devel­opment during the last quarter of the 19th century was stimulated by activity on both sides. To the east, Kensal Green had been built up following the success of its cemetery. To the west, Willesden Junction station had opened in 1866.

College Park has a high population turnover and a wide variety of ethnic minorities. It also has charac­ter­istics that make it ripe for gentri­fication, so it now presents contrasting aspects: some bay-​​fronted properties have recently been done up while others remain run-​​down; there are smart new live/​work units on Waldo Road and tatty shops along Harrow Road. The College Park Hotel was formerly a local landmark; it closed in the early 1990s and has since been converted into flats.

Postal district: NW10
Population: 7,643 (ward of College Park and Old Oak)