Published: Thursday 28 October 2021
A north Kensington neighbourhood will lead the way in tackling London’s climate crisis, following a £1.4m investment in environmental projects.
Notting Dale in Kensington is one of two neighbourhoods awarded funding as part of the Mayor of London’s Future Neighbourhoods programme.
The funding will be invested by the Council in projects to support the environment and develop the skills needed for the green jobs of tomorrow, including:
• support schools to improve air quality for children with new monitoring equipment
• create a new Green Skills Academy to provide apprenticeships and training for the community
• improve green spaces, access to nature and enhance the habitat for urban wildlife
Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said:
“Our ambition is for Notting Dale to be the UK’s largest eco-neighbourhood and an inspiration for the rest of London. From upskilling young people to do the green jobs of tomorrow to providing renewable energy for residents’ homes, this Future Neighbourhoods funding will help us get there.
“We want to protect the environment for future generations, becoming a carbon neutral council by 2030 and a carbon neutral borough by 2040.”
The Mayor’s Future Neighbourhoods 2030 programme aims to tackle some of London’s defining environmental challenges, including the climate emergency and air quality, whilst creating jobs, developing skills, and supporting a just transition to a low carbon circular economy. It is targeted at the most climate-vulnerable neighbourhoods, where residents are disproportionately affected by unemployment, poor health, fuel poverty and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Another injection of funding is expected in 2022/23.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:
“Climate action is about building a greener, healthier, fairer and more resilient city and ensuring future generations can thrive. Making positive changes to our homes and streets will benefit everyone, particularly those Londoners who experience the worst effects of toxic air and climate change. We’ve already made great progress - from cleaning the air with the recently extended Ultra Low Emission Zone, to ensuring all new developments are net-zero carbon through the London Plan.
“Future Neighbourhoods is about communities and local government working together to accelerate ambitious climate action and to lower emissions, clean up their air and transform their homes, showing what a net zero carbon London will look and feel like now.”
Work has already begun on the Lancaster West Estate, at the heart of Notting Dale, where resident’s homes are undergoing major refurbishments, such as new kitchens, windows, and lighting, to help improve their energy efficiency and reduce fuel poverty. New pipes and heating controls are being installed so homes can be connected to a local district heat network which will run solely on renewable energy and help the estate become the first in the whole borough to go carbon neutral.
A number of buildings are also being fitted with bio-solar rooftops which are being co-designed with the local community, and a community fridge initiative launched last month to help tackle food waste.
Abbas Dadou, Chair of the Lancaster West Resident’s Association, said:
“We’re delighted that the existing investment in Lancaster West Estate will be built on, and that the Mayor of London will work with residents to transform the whole of Notting Dale to become a sustainable neighbourhood of the future.”