Contrary to what the resident below thinks the Dame has no 'pets' and thus is quite happy to publish this.
Dear Dame
Some of your readers feel your relationship with the Kensington Society is rather too intense and 'matey' so it will be nothing short of a miracle if you publish this letter.
Many of my neighbours are very interested to see the Kensington Society getting involved in the Forum Hotel application although some of my neighbours have been complaining that in their typical high handed way Kensington Society has made little attempt actually to talk to local people and find out what the major local concerns are.
What a contrast to Kensington Society’s quite amazing support for the ghastly and highly damaging development at Newcombe House.
Chairman Amanda Frame was so proud of her part in that she took the awful developer, Richard Selby, to Kensington Palace to meet the Society’s patron, the Duke of Gloucester.
So what has happened to Kensington Society, a group whose objective has always been to protect Kensington? Now it is gamekeeper turned poacher and promoting and encouraging developments that are damaging to Kensington and its unique and precious environment.
Ms Frame seems to have lost her way.
Ms Frame, time to move and let a less partisan chairman take over.
With Kind Regards, Dear Dame,
A Cromwell Road Resident
It seems that K S are not as impartial as they should be
ReplyDeleteThe Kensington Society were discredited at the Newcombe meeting when they were forced to admit that they hadn't consulted their members before coming out in support of the horrid Newcombe Tower.
ReplyDeleteOnce can't help but wonder how many lavish entertainments were involved in the KS relationship with those developers - like this famous developer champion https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/08/westminster-deputy-leader-took-gifts-in-50-of-his-planning-cases
Where's the MP ?
ReplyDeleteNewcombe will go ahead. The Labour crowd just want to claim a victory for more social housing on the site. The skyscraper is not relevant or important in their eyes. And EDC is an architect by training. Says it all really......
DeleteI think the MP is an architectural historian. She has been very supportive of Residents in Hillgate Village.
DeleteCorrect. Emma Dent Code has been very supportive of the fight against the proposed Newcombe House Tower, as was Victoira Borwick before her. Indeed, there is cross political party opposition, as shown by voting by RBKC Councillors on the Planning Committee to reject three times now the developers' plans. KS is totally out of step with pretty much everyone, except of course the developers.
DeleteMs Frame and the KS entertain the Newcombe House developers at Kensington Palace. KS supports the developers' appalling scheme. Exactly what is the nature of their relatinship?
ReplyDeleteMs Frame. Time to move on. Go before you are pushed.
ReplyDeleteI think Ms Fame should publicly explain why she dines with the developer but does not engage with the residents of Kensington who she is supposed to represent.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, this is outrageous!
DeleteMs Frame and the Kensington Society, in the face of long-term and overwhelming opposition from our community as well as from elected Councillors on the RBKC Planning Committee, have consistently and publicly supported the developers’ plans for the Newcombe House site (which seems even more perverse now with their opposition to the proposed Forum Hotel Towers on the Cromwell Road).
ReplyDeleteGiven that support, it is incumbent on Ms Frame and the Kensington Society to be transparent about all their dealings with the developer, not only with their own members but also with the wider community.
What can possibly justify this double standard from the Kensington Society?? It objects to a tower being built on Cromwell Road but supports one being built at the heart of Notting Hill at the highest point in the borough? The developers plans to build a tower of 72m (50% higher than the existing Newcombe House) will ruin the skyline of London for all, residents, tourists and future generations. Pulling down the whole block from Waterstones to The Fish Shop and digging a double storey basement, building the tower and the other 5 buildings will ruin the lives of local residents for at least 3 years every day and this to build an huge ugly empty white elephant?
ReplyDeleteIs this going to be our legacy for Notting Hill?