Behind The Scenes

James Huartson, Head of Estate Services at Wembley Park, shares the secrets behind keeping the neighbourhood looking its best.

Behind the Scenes James Huartson

What does your role as Head of Estate Services at Wembley Park entail?

I work with our service partners and team to provide a safe, clean, welcoming environment for all residents, workers, visitors and even pets who come onto the Wembley Park estate. It’s about showcasing Wembley Park as a neighbourhood that wows!

How long have you been working at Wembley Park?

I first started working in Wembley Park in 2005, when I was employed by The Football Association to be part of the new Wembley Stadium operational management team. I worked at the Stadium until 2016, when I was offered an opportunity to work for Quintain as their Estate Services Manager. What aspects of the smooth operation of Wembley Park are you and your team responsible for?

Our remit is very broad. We cover everything estate-related. That ranges from keeping the boulevards, streets, and amenity spaces clean and free from litter, clutter and graffiti to taking care of the trees, plants and lawns. We maintain and repair the water features and fountains, LED media screens, street lighting, play parks, roads and pavements.

We are also responsible for the removal of household and retail waste from our circa 4,500 homes and businesses. This utilises a clever network of underground pipes, removing waste from apartment blocks via the Envac system, supplemented by our commercial waste partner. “Going back 10 years, we only had two restaurants on the estate where we could grab an after-work drink. These days we are spoilt for choice.”