Last night the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Planning Committee voted unanimously, by five votes to zero, to refuse planning permission to the Around Station Development in South Kensington. The application by Transport for London and Native Lands was submitted in 2020 and received over 2,900 objections, which is believed to be a record number of objections to a RBKC development proposal. Residents argue that TfL and Native Lands did not take their concerns into account on the far-reaching proposals which would have transformed the area beyond recognition and would not result in step-free access to the underground station.
A spokesperson for the Save our South Kensington Working Group say “This is a victory for the more than 2,900 people who objected to the planning application and for the local community who defended the soul of the neighbourhood. Local residents and business owners are not against development and have been urging TfL to improve South Kensington, not destroy its village like atmosphere by overdeveloping the area. South Kensington, with its iconic buildings and millions of visitors each year, deserves better.”
Residents and local businesses now urge TfL and Native Lands to consult them. They thank everyone who voiced their concerns to the Council, the local councillors led by Greg Hammond, and the local MP Felicity Buchan for their help.
