Published: Wednesday 11 February 2026
Portobello Road will receive £4.4 million to improve safety, accessibility, flood resilience, lighting and greenery.
Our leadership team approved the plans on Tuesday 10 February 2026 after three years of community engagement. Construction is expected to start in January 2027.
Preserving the street’s character
The plans have been shaped by feedback from residents, traders and local businesses.
Changes to the original design include:
- using tarmac instead of granite setts on the road
- updating the approach to hostile vehicle protection
These changes aim to protect the historic character of Portobello Road while meeting modern safety standards.
Portobello Market has been part of the area for more than 160 years. Our aim is to protect it for future generations.
Councillor Kim Taylor-Smith, Lead Member for Employment, Culture and the Economy, said:
This investment will help protect Portobello Road for the future while respecting its heritage.
Thank you to everyone in the community who has helped shape the plans over the past three years, especially our traders.
Based on feedback, we have changed the road surface to tarmac. This keeps the street practical for market trade, residents and businesses.
Changes following community feedback
Replacing granite setts with tarmac will:
- save £1.6 million
- reduce construction time by eight months
- maintain the function of the street for traders, residents and businesses
Permanent safety measures
Temporary hostile vehicle protection measures were installed in June 2025 following police advice. These concrete blocks and H-stops were not designed to be permanent.
The approved plans will replace them with permanent measures, including sliding bollards at key junctions. We are continuing to work with the community to agree access arrangements.
The new design will improve:
- safety for visitors and traders
- access flexibility
- crowd movement on busy market days
Greener streets and flood protection
The scheme will add more greenery and reduce flood risk. This follows serious flooding in the area in 2021.
We will trial a system called Hydrorock. It uses underground tree pits and absorbent materials to slow rainwater before it enters drains. This helps reduce surface water flooding and supports new tree planting.
New trees will provide shade in warmer months and improve the street environment.
Trial holes will be dug next month to test how the system will work. Local school children will be invited to take part to learn about the water cycle and sustainability.
Next steps
The construction management plan and detailed timetable are being finalised. We will work to minimise disruption during the works.
Councillor Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Environment and Planning, said:
Adding more greenery and reducing flood risk is important, especially after the floods in 2021 that damaged homes and property.
We will do all we can to minimise disruption when construction begins.