The Kensington Society

Welcome to the website of the Kensington Society.

Formed in 1953, the Kensington Society strives to ensure that our part of London retains its magnificent heritage of buildings, parks and gardens alongside the best of contemporary architecture and design.

With more than 700 members and some 30 affiliated societies, we are very active in planning issues and exert a real influence on planning decisions in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

Events

We also have a programme of lectures, talks, walks and visits, covering a wide range of subjects. The events offer the chance to meet your Kensington neighbours. All upcoming society events can be found here.

Annual report

Our annual report is produced in the spring and has both an update report on the activities of the society as well as interesting and topical articles relating to Kensington. The most recent annual report can be read here, and all annual reports since 1961 can be found in the society archive.

Newsletter

Our newsletter is produced in the autumn. The most recent newsletter can be read here, and all newsletters since 2006 can be found in the society archive.

Membership

The annual membership subscription is £15 and you can join here.

The news blog

News

The week that was: 31 July - 6 August

2017-08-08

During the seventh week after the Grenfell Tower fire, Elaine Elkington was appointed interim chief executive of KCTMO, the Treasury’s high interests rates to councils came under the spotlight, the second cladding combination test made a further 111 high-rise residential buildings officially unsafe, and the organisers of the Notting Hill Carnival announced their plans for honouring the Grenfell victims.

Public meeting about police station closure

2017-08-08

The Metropolitan Police is inviting all residents to a face-to-face discussion with the borough commander for Kensington and Chelsea, Chief Superintendent Ellie O’Connor, and Chief Inspector Chris Mahaffey, about the proposed closure of Notting Hill Police Station. The meeting will be held at St John's Notting Hill Church, Landsdowne Crescent, on Tuesday 15 August at 1pm.

The week that was: 24 July - 30 July

2017-08-01

During the sixth week after the Grenfell Tower disaster, Sajid Javid created the Grenfell recovery taskforce, which will check the council’s handling of the Grenfell disaster on behalf of the government, and the Metropolitan Police announced that there are reasonable grounds to suspect the council and the KCTMO of corporate manslaughter. It was also revealed that work to shroud the tower in a gigantic protective wrap will begin in the middle of August.

Latest planning news

Newcombe House appeal dismissed for lack of affordable housing

On 12 June 2017, the appeal against the council's refusal of the planning application for the large Newcombe House complex in Notting Hill Gate was refused by the Planning Inspectorate. The inspector did not have any problems with the design, size, height and location of the project, nor with its promised public benefits. But he rejected the appeal as he felt that it should be financially possible for the developer to compensate the loss of 20 affordable flats in Royston Court with a similar offering within the complex or at least within the borough.
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Frogmore's Notting Hill Gate plans approved

On Tuesday 8 November, the council’s planning committee approved developer Frogmore’s plans for refurbishment of the five office buildings in Notting Hill Gate. The committee added a condition about public realm contributions to each of the three applications, totalling £120,000, but otherwise accepted them as they were.
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