Dear Members,
Frogmore, which owns most of the north side of Notting Hill Gate
and the David Game site on the south, is proposing a
redevelopment of the block which goes from M&S
down to the sportswear shop at the western end.
The whole site is retail on the ground level with
eight residential units above. Frogmore and
their consultants presented a fully developed scheme to the
trustees of the society for the first time last week.
The proposal is for:
A 175-room hotel – aimed at the “mid-market urban
traveller” – covering the whole site, with food
and beverage offer in the hotel on ground floor but no shops;
No replacement of the eight housing units.
The building would be 7 storeys, several floors taller
than the current building housing M&S and two storeys
taller than the buildings on either side (although
the floors would be less high than the present ones),
and it would also extend further at the back; and
loss of the protective canopy along Notting Hill Gate.
Frogmore has informed us that the RBKC planners support the
scheme.
The Kensington Society will be commenting directly to
both Frogmore and the planners. We suggest, however,
that interested members
should go along to the public exhibition on Wednesday 27 March
(6 pm -9 pm) and Saturday 30thMarch ((10 am to 2 pm)
at St John’s Church, on the corner of Ladbroke Grove and
Lansdowne Crescent, W11 2NN, and let Frogmore know
what you think as there may still be time for changes to be made.
Even though there is not yet any formal planning application,
you could also send comments to the planning officer
at RBKC, Stephanie Malik at stephanie.malik@rbkc.gov.uk .
Also please tell us what your opinion is.
Yours sincerely
Amanda Frame
Chairman
The Kensington Society
www.kensingtonsociety.org |
|
It was always clear that Frogmore would do something different with this site than the "assurances" given a couple of years ago to existing traders and shop keepers of the current site. And also the "comfort" communicated to residents that their shops would be preserved and the overall height of the current building would be increased by only one floor.
ReplyDeleteThe true intentions to sweep away all the shops (essential to residents) and replace with a hotel (not needed by residents) is now out in the open.
It is called manipulation of public opinion and brown envelopes for Hornton Street - if we are to call it what it is.
In the past the Kensington Society has characterised Notting Hill Gate as a unique enclave of "Cafe Society". Chairman Amanda frame now seems to be taking a softer tone of "go and see the plans and make up your own mind". She is not taking the lead. Not giving her membership a stear. BEWARE. The KS has recently become corrupted by power and enjoys power broking between developers and Hornton Street. Will this pattern be repeated again?
Sharks and rats come to mind.
Be very careful of the motives of the Kensington Society. An organisation that has seriously gone astray.
ReplyDeleteKensington "Fork Tongue" Society?
DeleteNotting Hill Gate is "in play". Very sad for the residents - they are facing a decade of construction hell, no say in what is going on (just lip service from Hornton Street) and wholesale loss of amenities such as hardware stores,cobblers, key cutters, dry cleaners, restaurants and newsagents. And the wipe out of Cafe Society.
ReplyDeleteThe destruction of society for short term profit. Promoted by the Tories and supported by the Socialists. Where on earth is Dent-Toad?????
Cllr Dent Coade is a pragmatist. She does not get involved in matters that she cannot influence.
DeleteLike all socialists she is highly discriminatory. She was selected to represent the entire constituency yet takes bugger all interest of those constituents in the south
DeleteIt is easy to forget that DC is the MP for Kensington as well as a Councillor
DeleteDouble Dipping Dent Coade. Shame on her.
DeleteThis is a matter for the Hillgate Residents Association. They have built an organisation fueled by anger which is the key requirement for success in matters such as these
ReplyDeleteKensington Society used to do a good job dedicated to preserving the realm. But the Leadership stayed too long, got bored, and moved into the more exciting world of power broking between the Council and the developers. Having fun at the expense of the Membership and funded by membership subscriptions.
ReplyDeleteTime for a new Kensington Society Committee
Sorry, this is OT but do you think this may be the reason why Earls Court development is not progressing? The man is right from the Feng Shui perspective though.... Much like us, deceased
ReplyDeletedon't liked to be disturbed either and their objection speaks the volume?
https://www.mylondon.news/news/local-news/feng-shui-expert-says-asian-8070483
Hilarious. Anything that scares away the Far East property investors is great news.
DeleteThey take it seriously over there as well as some businesses as per above article. Who would have thought something as simple as Feng Shui could halt the project! They haven't even started building so we shall see how spirits will react e.g. unfortunate incidnces etc.
DeleteA Hotel on this stretch of road in Notting Hill Gate??? Bollocks.
ReplyDeleteHornton Street needs to think about the traffic management implications. Due to an earlier planning cock up in the 1960's this major 3 lane road out of London ended up with a 2 lane pinch point in Notting Hill Gate, just before the big traffic intersection with Kensington Church Street.
The mere idea of inserting a hotel in this heavily congested pinch point stretch of road, with taxis and ubers stopping and starting to disgorge and collect guests, is crazy. And there is already an essential bus stop at this very point.
What is Hornton Street smoking?
Kensington Society usually very hot on traffic management
DeleteShops and supermarkets of no use to hotels. Stuff the residents and rate payers
DeleteAnother feast for the NIMBYs of the Hillgate Residents Association. Blah, blah, blah......
ReplyDelete"Frogmore has told the Kensington Society that RBKC approves"
ReplyDeleteAnd "Kensington Society will respond to Frogmore and RBKC"
Amanda Frame. Chairman Kensington Society
Here we go again. KS promoting themselves as a power broker and reveling in it. They should get off their ego trip and write a hard hitting report to RBKC and move on. Simple. Its what Associations should do on behalf of the membership. But it is more fun for the busted flush KS Committee to screw around and cause another Newcombe House fiasco.
I hope the Hillgate Residents have the KS in their sights
The Planners in Hornton Street need to understand clearly that the Kensington Society does not represent the views of its members. It therefore has no democratic power. The Committee are puffers who are getting a charge from trying to mediate between the developers and Hornton Street
ReplyDeleteThe Duke of Gloucester is Patron of the Kensington Society. Nothing wrong with that. And he entertains certain members of the Committee for tea at Kensington Palace, where he lives.
DeleteThe committee members love this.
This stuff is powerful. Remember that the whole existence of disgraced ex Cllr Phelps was focused on the support of disgraced ex Leader Cockell who he championed for a Peerage in order that he could take tea with Pooter at the House of Lords.
DeleteThe Dame put paid to that!