West Ken & Gibbs Green Redevelopment Plans

This weekend we delivered another letter to the ward, this time focusing on the effects of Tory plans to demolish the West Ken and Gibbs Green estate and build luxury flats and offices. As the letter explains, we are worried this will have adverse consequences not only for those on the estates, but also for those who live in the surrounding area.

Dear North End Resident,

For a number of years, Labour councillors accused the Conservative Council of trying to sell off the Gibbs Green and West Kensington Estates to developers. After stonewalling and denying, the Council has finally confirmed this is their intention.

We are worried about the future of the over 800 families who live on the estates, the overwhelming majority of whom recently signed a petition opposing the demolition. We have campaigned to make sure their interests are protected. We have promised in our manifesto not to demolish these estates. The Council says it will rehouse displaced tenants in the local area, but social housing is already oversubscribed, and it is unclear where space for new housing can be found.

We are also concerned about the impact of the demolition plans on the surrounding areas, which would face years of construction noise and other nuisances. The Council and their development partners want to triple the density of occupation in the area of the estate. That would have a catastrophic impact on already overcrowded local roads and underfunded local services.

The Tory Council’s management of large construction projects to date is not impressive. Our colleagues in Shepherd’s Bush report waves of local anger over the Council’s failure to manage the Westfield project. Mercy Umeh reported at the time, “The construction has generated amazing levels of dirt and noise. The area is continuously dusty, getting into people’s homes, onto their belongings and covering their windows. At one point rats, escaping from a demolition on the site, ran openly down Wood Lane and into the surrounding streets.” Shepherd’s Bush tube was unilaterally shut down for 8 months at short notice. Problems did not end after construction was completed. Many North End residents rightly complain of parking problems on Chelsea Match Days—near the Westfield centre, similar parking headaches are now experienced seven days a week.

Unfortunately, the Tory Council has a record of serving developers instead of residents. Consulting firm London Planning Practice (LPP) even boasts on its website that it has “achieved significant reductions in S106 contributions” that the developers it was working for had to pay to the Council for local services.

We think it is time for the Council to break free from this unhealthy relationship with developers. If elected, we promise to truly put all residents first, and not sacrifice their interests to the demands of property developers. Decisions should be weighted in local residents’ favour and only reached after extensive and meaningful consultation.

Kind regards,

Max, Matt and Daryl