Strengthening Portobello Road
Portobello Road is a world-renowned market street that is rich in heritage, character and community.
We support the thoughts, wishes and experience of residents, traders and businesses to ensure Portobello remains a place people are proud to live, trade and work and continues to be a cleaner, safer and fairer destination. A place to protect and celebrate for generations to come.
We have been working with the local community for since January 2022, to develop draft ideas to improve the infrastructure of Portobello Road from Pembridge Road to Bonchurch Road.
Scope
Together, we have developed detailed infrastructure improvements for the Antiques Gateway (section from Chepstow Villas to Westbourne Grove) including the junction with Denbigh Terrace. This is intended to be the first phase of the delivery process, with details for each section of the street subject to additional consultation and governance.
We have also developed proposals for specific elements such as lamp posts and power supply for traders that are guiding principles for the whole length of the project area, from Pembridge Road to Bonchurch Road.
These elements are:
- Road safety: traffic barriers, safer junctions, pavement and road surfaces
- Infrastructure: reducing flooding, improving lighting, power supply
- Experience: signage and wayfinding, greening, seating
This project is not proposing the removal of market pitches or parking spaces on Portobello Road.
There are no plans to pedestrianise Portobello Road or restrict access to residents on any side streets off Portobello.
The proposals suggest installing automated traffic bollards which would only be active during market hours. These bollards will still allow access for residents and emergency vehicles. The barriers are meant to strengthen road safety and protect the market area from the threat of a vehicle-borne attack.
You can find out more about the draft proposals on our consultation webpage.
Get involved
Consultation on the draft proposals closed on Sunday 13 October 2024.
If you’re interested in signing up to our update newsletter, you can contact the project team on [email protected] and 020 7361 3012 (Planning Line).
Next steps
The project team is analysing the feedback and will seek to publish results in spring 2025. We are also having discussions with senior Council decision makers and technical consultants about ways to amend the proposals considering the consultation results.
Any Council decision about project delivery will have to go through the standard governance processes, ensuring transparency.
Works are not expected to start before autumn 2025 / winter 2026.
While this project focusses on infrastructure improvements, the council is also working to ensure that improvements to the area are addressed in a holistic way, including a focus on market operational elements. The Street Trading Office will launch a separate consultation regarding the standard conditions for market traders.
To sign up for updates on any of the Portobello consultations, email growthanddeliveryteam@rbkc.gov.uk or contact us on our 'Strengthening Portobello Road' chat.
How we got here
January 2023
We heard from the community that we needed to stop the design competition and better involve the community from the start.
We developed an engagement process that aimed to listen, learn and utilise the experience of residents, traders and businesses.
May 2023
We launched an open application recruitment process for members of the community to apply to a newly formed Portobello Engagement Oversight Panel (PEOPL). Applications were open for six weeks. We received 48 applications from across North Kensington and 24 members were recruited who represented the area.
The panel helped outline a plan for effective and transparent conversations with the community.
July 2023
We commissioned and met with technical consultants WSP to undertake a series of technical surveys and studies on the project area to support the feasibility of recommendations and solutions. These focused on traffic and utilities networks.
February 2024
Portobello Conversations took place. These were workshops hosted by independent facilitators to grasp the key issues of the area and guide conversations around possible solutions. About 750 people including residents, traders, and businesses were contacted about the workshops, 49 signed up, and 41 attended the sessions.
Another 98 people were interviewed at the market over two days – Saturday 24 February and Friday 1 March. Interviews targeted visitors and businesses, as well as also residents and traders.
May 2024
Following the Portobello Conversation workshops, a recommendations report was put together by the independent consultants, reviewed by the engagement panel, supported by Lead Members and published on the council website.
Technical consultants used the citizens’ recommendations to draft a series of proposals that seek to deliver positive changes while respecting the heritage and character of the road. You can find the full Portobello Conversations report in the FAQs below.
July 2024
Launch extended consultation on draft proposals set out for the project including key principles for the whole road and focused interventions for the Antiques Gateway between Chepstow Villas and Westbourne Grove, including the junction of Denbigh Terrace.
During the 12-week consultation period, we hosted 10 drop-in sessions at the market, distributed leaflets to over 20 key community spaces and 1,400 residential addresses, visited businesses and market stalls across Portobello Road, and held workshops with young people and disabled residents, amongst other activities.
Frequently asked questions
- Why are infrastructure improvements needed?
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Past feedback from previous engagement and consultation has repeatedly flagged the need to address flooding, greening and road infrastructure to ensure that the high street and market remains successful and resilient in the future.
- How does this involve the market?
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We want to ensure that the market’s magic remains while addressing what improvements can be made to keep Portobello Road a unique place to explore, shop, eat and spend time in.
We recognise that Portobello Market is a world-renowned market with a 150-year history. We will nurture a market street that is resilient, healthy and safe, serving both the local community as well as attracting visitors.
The scale and scope of the infrastructure improvements will be determined by the consultation results. Whatever works take place to the road, every effort will be taken to minimise disruption to the market while these take place.
We are also committed to communicating regularly with market traders about planned activity and to proactively address outstanding concerns throughout any building works. - What are the citizen recommendations for improving the infrastructure of Portobello Road?
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The participants of Portobello Conversations worked together to develop a series of recommendations. They are grouped by broad topic areas which reflected the scope for potential change proposed by the Council, adapted to reflect the views of the community.
Behind these recommendations was a strong sense from participants that any improvements should respect the identity of Portobello as a street market, busy, lively, with a mix of traders and businesses, serving the community as well as being a tourist destination.
There were certain topics where there was more consensus between participants and there were topics where there was more disagreement. In all cases, participants worked together to find possible solutions. If an agreement was not reached, the recommendations have noted this clearly.
These recommendations are a starting point for improvements to Portobello Road and to continued conversations with the local community. The Council and its contractors are considering carefully how to implement these recommendations and communicate clearly how they have been considered. If it isn’t possible to implement a particular recommendation, this will be clearly explained.
The citizen recommendations are as follows:
Hostile Vehicle Mitigation
- Not all residents felt hostile vehicle mitigation was necessary. If the Council feel it is necessary, then it should not interfere with the functioning of Portobello Market. For example, it should allow access for emergency vehicles, traders’ vehicles, and not obstruct the flow of pedestrians.
- Following a vote, most agreed that hostile vehicle mitigation should be minimal rather than offer co-benefits. For example, there was a preference for retractable bollards or gates, rather than creating seating out of barriers.
- It was emphasised that hostile vehicle mitigation measures should be well maintained
Seating
- The placement of seating:
- should not restrict the flow of people through the market
- should not limit the accessibility of the market (e.g. take up space on pavements)
- should be sympathetic to residents. There was a preference to use already available public spaces, e.g. Tavistock Gardens
- Seating on Portobello Road itself should be temporary, for example, removed at the close of trading
Power and water infrastructure
- All trading pitches should have access to electricity.
- The provision of electricity should be modernised to allow for sharing between different traders
Movement through the market
- Participants acknowledged that some traders need their van close to their pitch but also felt that parking arrangements could be improved. Any change should be optional and incentivised.
- Suggestions included:
- A trader and business permit to allow parking on nearby roads. This would be cheaper than the cost to park vans on Portobello Road.
- Changing the layout of parking so vans and pitches are in a single row. The side of the road can be swapped each week to mitigate the obstruction to businesses.
- Increasing the availability of storage for traders to reduce the need for vans on the market itself.
- There was no agreement on further pedestrianisation of the market, but participants were generally supportive of measures to improve safety, for example matching the temporary road closures more closely with the operating hours of the market
Surfaces
- The surface of the road and pavements need to be improved. The surfaces should be high quality, ‘grippy’, level, accessible and well maintained.
- Following a vote, most wanted to keep kerbs and avoid a single level (reflecting the nature of Portobello as a street market).
- Kerbs should be an appropriate height (at the moment some are very high) and dropped kerbs on opposite sides of the road should match.
- Aesthetically, the surfaces should still look like a road to be in-keeping with the identity of the market. This means largely avoiding ‘funky designs’, however, subtle design to promote wayfinding is permitted
Security
- More needs to be done to protect against day-to-day crimes and dangers. This includes theft and dangerous driving (e.g. from mopeds). Suggestions included:
- Increased CCTV.
- A visible enforcement presence.
- A lost property hub should be created
Lighting
- It is essential lighting is improved on Portobello Road to improve security.
- Lights should be all the way through the market and work all year
- Lighting should also be used to create an atmosphere and promote wayfinding. It should be used:
- To make the market seem open and inviting, particularly at the north end and in winter
- To celebrate different festivals, e.g. Christmas and Diwali.
- Lighting should be sympathetic to residents
- Lighting should be in-keeping with the current style of the market and street
Signage
- The market needs better signage. Participants recommended signage to cover:
- Functional signage: to facilities, points of interest, access arrangements etc
- Signage to promote a welcoming environment: ‘Welcome to Portobello Market’; ‘Market Open’ rather than Road Closed; signs to encourage footfall to the north end of the market by the Spanish School
Greening
- Greening should not interfere with the function of the market. For example, the movement of people.
- No consensus was reached on specific greening interventions
Flooding
- It is essential work should be done to mitigate flooding and improve drainage. (NB. There was no consensus on sustainable urban drainage systems or the detailed design).
- Speed bumps should be revised to avoid making flooding worse.
- There should be better cleaning around areas prone to flooding
- When will any work start?
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No work on Portobello Road will start until the proposals have been fully consulted on and further developed.
Discussions with the community to shape the proposals started in mid-2023 and are expected to continue until summer 2024, with many opportunities for the community to have their say. Discussions were focused on finding a balance between improving the infrastructure of the area while celebrating Portobello Road’s iconic character and culture.
- Purpose of the engagement oversight panel and how were they chosen?
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The purpose of the Portobello Engagement Oversight Panel was to oversee the engagement process, allowing council officers and community members to work closely together. The panel had an advisory role to help inform decisions made by the Council and Lead Members.
Residents, businesses and traders were invited to apply. The Council Growth and Delivery Team and Street Trading Office shortlisted applicants with Lead Member oversight. People with previous sustained involvement with Portobello Road market matters were a recruitment priority, such as members of MSAG (Market Streets Action Group) and PGMC (Portobello and Golborne Management Committee).
Key preferences were:
- Previous involvement
- Representation
- Ethnicity and other protected characteristics
- Geography
The over 20 members selected were representative of North Kensington communities and are based across the entire length of Portobello Road. There was balanced representation from street traders, businesses and shops, charities and community groups, residents’ associations and forums and landowners.
Each panel member was expected to act as a conduit of information between the panel and the people that they represent.
- Who was on the engagement oversight panel?
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- 375 Portobello Road Residents Compact
- ADKC (Action Disability Kensington and Chelsea)
- Atlam Portobello
- Colville Forum
- Dilip Shah Portobello
- Ebony Steel Band Trust
- Golborne Forum
- Ladbroke Association
- Landowner and member of PGMC/MSAG
- Morley College North Kensington Centre
- Pembridge Association
- Portobello Business Centre
- Portobello Radio CIC
- Street Trader - Antiques
- Street trader - Groceries
- Street Trader - Groceries (PGMC chair)
- Street Trader - New Goods (member of PGMC/MSAG)
- Street Trader (PGMC Committee Member)
- The Hirst Collection
- Volunteer Centre Kensington & Chelsea
- Ward councillors for Colville, Golborne and Pembridge
- Westway Trust
- Wildash London
- Yaya Clothing London
- Youth Action Alliance
In attendance in an advisory capacity and to help organise the meetings will also be representatives from the Council Growth and Delivery Team and in some cases the Street Trading Office, as well as consultants who may be supporting the engagement programme.
- Who else is involved in the project?
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In partnership with the engagement oversight panel, independent facilitators Thinks Insight and PlusFour were commissioned to deliver community involvement sessions – the Portobello Conversations.
A technical company called WSP were appointed to build infrastructure evidence such as road collisions, road use, lighting requirements, storage use, and utilities mapping.
WSP are also responsible for drafting proposals based on community recommendations to sensitively improve the infrastructure of the road.
- What were the Portobello Conversations?
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They were a series of workshops that took place in February 2024. The aim of the Conversations was to bring together members of the community with different views to find common ground and:
- understand the residents, traders and businesses’ perceptions of Portobello Road and market, including its identity, character and heritage.
- share information about the issues facing Portobello Road and why improvements are needed.
- understand residents, traders and businesses’ views on potential solutions to improve issues and capture their recommendations for change
Considerations for participants recruitment included gender, age, ethnicity, disability, longevity in the area and tenancy (homeowner, private or social rent) to ensure a broad and representative range of views and backgrounds.
In addition to the workshops, the independent facilitators spent two days at the market speaking to visitors, traders and businesses who were not taking part on the Portobello Conversations. This happened on Saturday 24 February and Friday 1 March 2024.
You can read a full account of the Portobello Conversations including how the citizen recommendations were created on the report available below. Portobello Conversations participants and the engagement oversight panel have reviewed the report to agree that information accurately reflects what was discussed at the workshops and the report has been endorsed by lead members.
