The Association has continued its involvement in local planning issues and other aspects of life in this part of North Kensington.
- Vacant shop units remain a big issue in our local shopping parades. Bassett House School are now refurbishing 53 St Helens Gardens as an extension of the school. The Association supported the planning application and change of use of this building, which had lain empty for several years.
- Imperial College’s 35 storey tower has reached its full height. As expected, this building (the first of such height in this part of London) dominates views along Oxford Gardens from as far away as Ladbroke Grove.
- Imperial remain committed to constructing a pedestrian/cycle underpass between their new campus in Wood Lane and the southern end of Latimer Road. Negotiations with Network Rail have been very slow, and the earliest completion date forecast by the College is the third quarter of 2019.
- The Playground Theatre has opened in Latimer Road, with some very successful productions such as the Jonathan Lewis play Soldier On.
- The outcome of a Judicial Review challenge to the Council’s 2015 decision to advance the StQW Neighbourhood Plan to its referendum in 2016 was a comprehensive victory for RBKC and the neighbourhood forum. The JR application by the site owners of Nursery Lane (the Legard family) was dismissed on all grounds. The willow trees on this backland behind Highlever Road, Brewster Gardens and Dalgarno Road are now back in leaf. The site, as a designated Local Green Space, has strong protection against development.
- New Studio Pre-School has successfully raised funds for an outdoor ‘Forest School’ making use of unused land at the Methodist Church land behind Kelfield Gardens. This site is also designated in the StQW Neighbourhood Plan (along with the West London Bowling Club) as a Local Green Space.
The Association continues to monitor all planning applications within the area. Where proposals depart from RBKC policy, or the policies in the StQW Neighbourhood Plan, we submit an objection. Where we support proposals, including those making use of the new policies in the neighbourhood plan, we say so.
In this way we do our best to ensure that this area retains its very many attractive features, while also ensuring that planning policies remain up to date and reflect how contemporary households want to make the best use of their homes.
If you are new to the area, or thinking of moving into the neighbourhood, please feel free to contact the association at sthelensassn@aol.com for more information.