Wornington Green planning permission granted

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has approved plans to demolish and rebuild the Wornington Green estate by the narrowest of margins. The planning committee was split five votes to five and the plans were approved by the use of the chair’s casting vote

Golborne Forum played an active part in the consultation process leading up to the planning application and many of its concerns were recognised in the final application. The Forum will continue to monitor the progress of the redevelopment project.

The redevelopment of the 30-year-old estate is due to start in Autumn 2010 and will last for 12 years, split into a series of phases.

Estate owners Kensington Housing Trust has guaranteed that the current 538 social housing units will be replaced by the same number, although there will be a decrease in bedrooms of 113.

Three hundred private homes will be added to the estate plus 30 shared ownership homes. Sale proceeds will be used to fund the development.

The current park will be replaced by one at least equal in size, and both Wornington Road and Portobello Road will be re-joined to Ladbroke Grove.

The plans also include 20 new shops on Portobello Road and the reinstatement of a traditional street pattern.

The plans still need to be approved by the Mayor of London and the Government Office for London.

Kensington Housing Trust’s Wornington Green website