Wornington Green Redevelopment

What affect will the Wornington Green redevelopment have on the Venture Centre?

Kensington Housing Trust (KHT) has put together a plan for redeveloping Wornington Green. You can find more information about the proposals on our planning pages. The Council owns the freehold to the current community facilities. These are occupied by the Venture Community Association, with a lease that runs until September 2018.

The plans presented by KHT involve the demolition of the current community facilities (to form part of the new park that is being planned) and the provision of new community facilities on Portobello Road. Although these will be built by KHT, the Council will be the client for this part of the development and the freehold of the new building will be held by the Council. The new facilities will be at least as large as the current ones. The detailed design, size and facilities to be provided in the new community facility have not yet been decided, but will be subject to further consultation and a detailed planning application before the existing facility is demolished.

When will the new community facilities be built?

The redevelopment of Wornington Green is a long-term project. The new facilities will not be built for at least eight years. In the meantime the Venture Centre will continue to operate in the existing building.

A detailed proposal for the new community facilities will be developed and will require planning consent. It is expected that planning permission will be sought in around five years time. The design and size of the building, and facilities to be provided, will be developed following full consultation with local residents and community groups.

How can we be sure that the community facilities will be rebuilt?

The Council sees community facilities as an indispensable and integral part of the redevelopment. As part of the redevelopment, the Council is entering into a legal agreement with Kensington Housing Trust. This agreement will set out various requirements for the new facility, including the size of the building and play space, which will not be smaller than the existing facilities. The Council will consider investing in the new building to increase the size of the community facilities by adding additional floors, though we would expect these to earn income.

Where will the new community centre be located?

The site specified in the outline planning position is on Portobello Road. The specific detail of where the building and where the adventure playground will be located on this site has yet to be decided, and will form part of the consultation process. The detailed design, size and facilities to be provided in the new community building will be subject to further consultation and a detailed planning application before the existing facility is demolished.

Will the new play equipment, which has just been installed, be transferred to the new site?

The plan is that all the play equipment which is still useable will be transferred to the new site. There has been significant investment recently in the adventure playground, and the Council wants to get maximum use out of the equipment.

Which organisations will occupy the new facilities?

The redevelopment of the community facilities is a long way off. The Council will want to lease the facilities to organisations that can provide a valuable service to the local community. The Venture Centre and other local organisations can play an important part in helping to identify the most suitable uses for the new facilities, and the Council will work with them on this.

The terms of any leases would be the subject of discussion and negotiation with the organisations concerned. The Council would be content if the Venture Community Association could demonstrate that it would be right to offer the Association a lease in the new building.

Will the redevelopment disrupt the availability of community facilities in the area?

The new community facilities will be constructed, ready for use, before the existing Venture Centre is decommissioned.

Will the Venture Centre be able to continue operating normally until the new facilities are available?

Any large redevelopment will cause some disruption, and users of the Venture Centre may experience some disruption as Wornington Green is redeveloped.

The Council is keen to minimise any such disruption, and will develop ways in which the managers of the Venture Centre can work with the Council and the developer to minimise the disruption experienced. Separate entrances for child and adult users of the Venture Centre will be maintained.

What are the designs for the new community facility?

It is too early for specific designs to be discussed. The designs for the new centre will be the subject of extensive consultation, with users of the current facilities (and future users of the new facilities) able to discuss the design and make suggestions.

Please email if you have any further questions or want to make a comment about the redevelopment of the community facilities in Wornington Green. This webpage will be continually updated to include useful questions and answers.