(i)     Proposed Gloucester Road streetscape improvements

Councillor Greg Hammond asked the Lead Member for an update on the Gloucester Road streetscape improvement proposals.

Councillor Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Environment and Planning, replied that he had signed off a decision for work to commence in December, to be completed in 2026, and he referred to similar work in Chelsea, Green, St. Helens, Hogarth Road, Hollywood Road.

Councillor Hammond asked a supplementary question, asking the Lead Member to note that 70 % of residents’ consultation responses welcomed this work, but that the project was dependent on TfL for safe crossing on Cromwell Road.

Councillor Thalassites commended the consultation response and confirmed that in phase two there would be a dependency on TfL. He informed Council that there had been productive conversations with TfL that he would continue.

(ii)    State of affairs at Hazelwood and Adair Towers

Councillor Sina Lari asked a question based on a resident’s email that sought the Lead Member for Housing ‘s response to the state of affairs at Hazelwood and Adair Tower. The issues included disruption through repairs over six years, the low level of compensation offered by the Council and whether this could be increased. He also asked if compensation could be paid into rent accounts as well as bank accounts and sought assurance that only those who had lived through the disruption would receive compensation.

Councillor Sof McVeigh, Lead Member for Housing, acknowledged the Council’s shortcomings after taking over from the Tenants’ Management Organisation and citied poor contractor performance, work quality, and delays. She agreed that Adair and Hazelwood residents had experienced significant disruption, with delays of just under and over a year, respectively. Following legal advice, the Council had offered £1,400 compensation per household for the 156 flats. Councillor McVeigh added that discussions with the contractor were ongoing. She concluded saying that a meeting with residents was scheduled for the following Monday [21 July 2025] and emphasised the need to learn from this experience to prevent future issues.

Councillor Lari asked a supplementary question requesting that the Council review what had caused the delays and poor quality of work as well as seeking further means to increase the compensation for those who had lived through all the disruption.

Councillor McVeigh restated that those directly affected by the construction work would receive compensation. She was unable to comment on any further sums that could be secured.

(iii)    Government-proposed changes for planning committees

Councillor Walaa Idris asked the Lead Member that, given the government was now consulting on changes that would take small and medium-sized developments out of local committee hands, impose one-size fits all thresholds, and tighten performance targets based on appeal outcomes, while giving councils less and less control, could he tell Members whether this Council would be challenging these proposals, which seemed to be far more about speeding things up for developers than about listening to communities or protecting local accountability?

Councillor Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Environment and Planning, responded that the Council was writing to oppose the proposals to remove councillors’ ability to determine planning applications of fewer than fifty houses. The Council was also seeking support from key amenity and civic groups such as the Kensington Society. He expressed concern at local councillors’ potential loss of decision-making powers.

Councillor Idris asked a supplementary question about how in a densely populated borough like Kensington and Chelsea where small developments may have a disproportionate effect there would be greater suffering if local communities and councillors were excluded from the planning process.

Councillor Thalassites concurred with her sentiments.