The first stage Planning Application documents are available on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea website.
There is an introductory page at https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/large-developments-within-borough/kensal-canalside-opportunity-area
About halfway down this page there is a download link for a package of “key” documents. Note, when last seen this contained 12 documents, not the 14 listed.
Just above that there is a link to a page which they indicate leads to the rest of the documents. The link to the document database is at the bottom of that page.
The deadline for comments has passed.
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have not yet set a date for their decision, but it’s unlikely to be before late summer/autumn.
The QPARA response
QPARA discussed our submission at our meeting on 11th January 2024, and it was overwhelmingly agreed to submit an objection to the scheme.
The following statement was loaded to the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea website on 12th January 2024 with an addendum document going into detail on the points made. This is also available below the statement.
The Queen’s Park Area Residents Association (QPARA) has been established for over 50 years and has 481 members. It represents the residents, local park users and businesses across the Queens Park area in the London Borough of Brent.
This statement was passed unanimously at our meeting on 11/01/24.
QPARA strongly opposes the Proposed Development at Kensal Canalside. We consider this a major overdevelopment of the site, leading to a number of undesirable consequences on the surrounding areas that will contravene local and national planning and environmental policies.
Because of our position relative to the development, our main concerns are about the effect on local infrastructure, particularly traffic and public transport. A fundamental problem with the site is the single point of access onto an already busy road which is a major route serving our area, both for vehicles and public transport. We also have concerns on the impact that a scheme of this magnitude and proximity will have on the environmental quality and social facilities (healthcare, education and open spaces) in our adjoining area. These issues have not been adequately addressed in this application.
The Transport Assessment, (Ref. 167-WSP001-Z-XX-DC-T-RP-0001 Rev. P03) shows that the amount of traffic and journey times on Ladbroke Grove will increase. In the attached document we show that the Assessment is deficient (in particular in that it excludes the St William development from assessment of traffic numbers) and the actual increase in traffic will be more than it shows. Ladbroke Grove is already notorious for congestion, and this will worsen that.
The estimates of construction traffic appear to vary wildly. Construction will take at least 10 years and will lead to large numbers of heavy vehicles using already busy roads causing congestion and major safety issues. We are concerned about the effects on air quality during the construction period. Traffic related air pollution is already high in the area and the large number of construction lorries will increase that. In addition, exposure of contaminated material will release toxins into the atmosphere which can be spread widely.
The single access will make management of any disruptions and emergencies very difficult and could cut off the site entirely. Problems could arise from highway or utility works, traffic accidents and any emergency on the site requiring evacuation and emergency services. Recent examples are the gas main repairs recently at the Ladbroke Grove / Harrow Road junction and the major gas and water main problem in Malvern Road, Maida Vale in early January.
The developer likes to give the impression that the development will benefit the people on the housing waiting list of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. This is deceptive. The development significantly underprovides against the London Plan.
The overdevelopment of the site means that there will be a large number of very tall buildings which will dominate the area and cast shade over nearby residential areas and the historic cemetery. The likely amount of heavily contaminated material remaining from the old gasworks does not appear to have been given sufficient consideration in investigations or management plans.