On January 12th, public comments to the RBKC website closed on Ballymore and Sainsbury's proposals to redevelop Kensal Canalside. However, residents are welcome to continue feeding back their views to me at [email protected].
Below is my full statement I submitted to RBKC website on the planning application portal.
"Kensington absolutely needs more housing. I am supportive of Kensal Canalside as an appropriate location for new housing. Ballymore’s plans to build over 2,500 new homes including 300 three/four-bedroom family homes and at least 500 affordable homes will help young people and families gain access to housing in Central London.
However, I believe the scheme can be improved and I would encourage the Planning Committee to only give approval if the following conditions are met.
- Height
I believe the towers are too tall. There are two 29 storey towers – this is the equivalent of 2 Trellick Towers. This will have an enormous effect on the skyline both in the immediate vicinity and from far afield. While height is a necessary feature of any development delivering thousands of new homes in Central London, I believe the height needs to be reduced further.
- Location of Tall Buildings
The height has been disproportionately concentrated on the South side of the development affecting residents’ access to natural light, particularly in Kensal House. I believe it makes more sense to locate the tallest buildings on the North side of the development, rather than the South. I recognise that English Heritage has objections to the tall buildings being situated to the North as they will overshadow the Kensal Green Cemetery. While I have sympathy with this argument, I think it is more important that existing residents’ light is protected and therefore on balance, I advocate the tall buildings being resituated to the North end of the development.
- Traffic Access
The development will substantially increase traffic in the area. I am concerned that the junction with Ladbroke Grove will be unable to cope with the volume of traffic. I therefore believe that the road from the development to Ladbroke Grove needs to be widened at the junction to allow for multiple lanes of left and right turning traffic.
As part of the construction traffic management plan, the developers should manage the influx and outflux of vehicles to minimise disruption by using alternative routes and limiting
operational times. Where possible, vehicles should be directed to leave the site via the North exit towards Brent to avoid unnecessary congestion on Ladbroke Grove.
- Bridge Access
Given the huge increase in residents the development will bring, it is important that there are several access points to the site. I think that the developer needs to make provision for bridge access to the South of the site. This money needs to be reserved, even if work cannot begin immediately on the bridge.
- Remediation of Land
The development is being carried out on the site of old gasworks. Therefore, all precautions must be taken to ensure a safe and thorough de-contamination process takes place that minimises impact on residents. Throughout the remediation process, the developers must consistently monitor pollution, odour, noise, dust and vibrations levels. If unacceptable levels are reached, the developers must be prepared to pause operations. The developers must use best practice to remediate the site, including reviewing whether bioremediation is more suitable than traditional methods.
- Improvements to Local Infrastructure
To alleviate pressure on local traffic, the development should aim to take advantage of the planned Old Oak Common Station due to open in 2026. The station will be only a 10-15 minute walk away from new homes but the route to the station is currently not well lit. The developers should invest in lighting and CCTV along the canal and the neighbouring cemetery to make the route safer for residents to use.
- More EV Charging Points & Step Free
This development needs to be fit for the future. The parking on the site is limited to 227 spaces, including 12 EV charging points. I believe we need more EV charging points than 12 to service the increasing number of electric vehicles on our roads. Furthermore, the entire development should be step-free to make everyone welcome on the site.
Ultimately, the development must deliver for existing residents and be fit for the future. I therefore ask the Planning Committee to require the above modifications as a condition of approving the development."
Felicity Buchan, MP for Kensington
