property
Community Opposition to Kensington Development: Both Sides Explained
A proposed 18-storey mixed-use block on Cromwell Road has split residents and planners over height, traffic and housing supply.
How we reported this
Planning officers at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea received a formal objection petition signed by 312 households on 2 July against a scheme for 142 flats and ground-floor retail on the site of the former Cromwell Hospital car park.
The application, lodged by developer Berkeley Homes on 15 June, arrives as Kensington property values climbed 4.2 per cent in the second quarter, according to Land Registry data released last week, pushing the average sale price past £2.1 million.
Heritage groups cite loss of light and character
The Kensington Society and the Earl’s Court Neighbourhood Forum argue the tower would overshadow the grade-II listed terraces on neighbouring Stanhope Gardens and increase peak-hour vehicle movements by an estimated 180 cars an hour on Cromwell Road. Forum chair Sarah Williams submitted a daylight study showing 47 homes would lose at least 20 per cent of their annual sunlight hours.
Local traders at the nearby Gloucester Road station arcade fear construction traffic would block delivery access for six months, threatening footfall at the 28 independent shops that recorded combined turnover of £4.8 million last year.
Developer points to housing targets and jobs
Berkeley Homes states the scheme would deliver 42 affordable units and create 310 construction jobs plus 85 permanent retail positions, helping the borough meet its London Plan target of 4,500 new homes by 2030. The company’s transport assessment claims a new loading bay and 20-space cycle hub would cut net vehicle trips by 12 per cent compared with the current surface car park.
A council consultation meeting is scheduled for 22 July at Kensington Town Hall, where objectors and the applicant will present evidence before the planning committee votes on 11 September.
Residents who wish to comment can submit statements via the council’s planning portal until 18 July; the portal link appears on the Royal Borough website under reference 26/02341/FUL.
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