Investment Opportunities
Opportunity Areas
Area of Intensification
Central activity Zone
International or metropolitan
Major
District
Borough Boundary
Green Belt
Metropolitan open land / Other open spaces
Rail station
Railway track
Foreshore
Water
A lively new urban quarter strengthening the existing Earl’s Court Road District Centre with a new cultural offer continuing Earl’s Court reputation as a cultural destination. A minimum of 1,050 new homes, 40,000 sqm of non-residential floorspace including at least 20,000 sqm of new office space. A new cultural facility and supporting community infrastructure is envisaged within a high-quality public realm network of streets and open spaces including a public park.
PLANNING STATUS: Site allocation in the new Local Plan on track for adoption early in 2024 with tandem discussions for the site to come forward.
Kensal Canalside is the largest brownfield site within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. There is an opportunity to transform this area into a high quality, well connected, attractive and sustainable Canalside neighbourhood for people to live work and visit. The neighbourhood will bring with it around 3,500 new homes and 12,000 sqm of commercial floorspace providing new jobs and opportunities. Working with residents, businesses and the landowners we have developed a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to provide guidance on the future development of the site which is now coming forward for development.
PLANNING STATUS: Kensal Canalside Opportunity Area SPD adopted July 2021, with the site allocation in the new Local Plan on track for adoption early in 2024. The Council is currently considering a planning application for part of the site.
Kensington and Chelsea is a unique central London borough with many economic strengths: a strong visitor economy with world class institutions, cultural attractions and museums, a retail and hospitality offer, as well as strong creative and cultural industries.
This strength must be seen in contrast to the real and debilitating deprivation which also occurs across the borough. As a central London borough which benefits the income generated by many visitors, we had been hit particularly hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Whilst we have seen our visitors return and spend increasing we need to continue to work alongside our partners if the borough’s strengths are to be sustained and are to be translated into opportunities for all residents.
In the Spring of 2024 the Council will have a new Local Plan in place. This will contain the suite of policies necessary to help drive our vision for the future of the borough. This has three main strands. We will support good growth, with future development being:
Population projections 2021 153,930
Population projections 2050 170,642
London plan new homes (ten-year target) 4,480
The new Homes Delivery Programme 600
Amanda Reid, Director of Planning and Place
amanda.reid@rbkc.gov.uk
“Kensington and Chelsea is a place like no other, a wonderful and exciting place to live, work and learn. We are blessed with green and welcoming spaces, truly iconic high streets and markets, a bustling economy, high-quality education and strong and engaged communities. We want to promote our borough, attracting the right types of homes, jobs, investment, and facilities for our communities, while continuing to provide the conditions and support for existing businesses to succeed.”
Employment and skills: we will help our residents progress in employment to allow them to move into and progress through work. There is a particular emphasis on helping the long-term unemployed back into work and in supporting children and young people gain the skills that they need. We will lead through example as an employer, commissioner and procurer of services.
