Latest Newsletter for West Kentish Town Estate

Newsletter September 2023

Newsletter August 2023

Newsletter August 2023

Newsletter July 2023

Newsletter Spring 2023

On 20 September the Council served Initial Demolition Notices (under Schedule 5A of the Housing Act 1985) on four blocks at West Kentish Town Estate: Wedmore, Ashington, Beckington and Milverton.  This is a legal process which allows the Council to demolish these blocks within 7 years and stops tenants from exercising their 'right to buy' (purchasing these homes). 

A Final Demolition Notice will be served in due course, and further Demolition Notices will be served on the remaining buildings when relevant.   

View Initial Demolition Notice (pdf)

Booklets have been published ahead of the 2019 Cabinet setting out for Council tenants:

Secure Tenants' Offer booklet

Local Lettings Plan 

Tenants Frequently Asked Questions

Booklets have been published ahead of the 2019 Cabinet setting out for resident leaseholders and non-resident leaseholders: 

• Resident Leaseholder's Offer Booklet

• Non-Resident Leaseholders' Offer booklet  

• Leaseholders Frequently Asked Questions

The redevelopment of West Kentish Town Estate will be carried out in phases.  New homes will be built for existing residents to move into, before the old blocks are demolished.  

Working with residents to understand preferences and requirements ensures that the Council builds homes, and creates places, where residents enjoy and are proud to live in.

The phasing plan can be viewed below.

The Council are currently working with our Masterplanning team on a Planning Application (detailed phase 1; outline for whole estate), estimated submission Spring 2023.

Phasing Plan (updated May 2023)

Cabinet Report July 2022

On 20th July 2022 Camden council took a report to Cabinet recommending approval of the business case to implement the regeneration strategy of the West Kentish Town estate. Approval was granted by Camden’s Cabinet for the full redevelopment of the estate and construction of 885 new homes carried out across 8 phases. This report included finances, demolition phasing timeline. Conditions of resident’s homes and the estate.

5 residents from the estate, 2 of whom were young people, presented deputations (short speeches) in front of the committee of Cabinet members where they spoke in favour of the regeneration of the estate. These deputies described their experiences living on the estate, the poor conditions they live in including no lifts, no balconies, damp and leaks, a poorly designed estate which enables anti-social behaviour in areas not properly overlooked, and generally deteriorating blocks. They went on to explain how the redevelopment will help them and their families, and change their lives by building new, high-quality homes and in a well-designed neighbourhood.

Not only were their speeches powerful and impactful, but the residents also articulately answered questions that were asked of them. We should all be proud of the residents that came out and spoke, particularly the two young people who did a fantastic job presenting their stories and answering the councillors’ questions.

After hearing all deputations and asking their questions, the committee had to vote whether to approve the full redevelopment of West Kentish Town estate, and we are happy to say that all Cabinet members said yes to the regeneration.

We look forward to continuing working closely with you as the designs of the estate and the new homes develop.

Full Cabinet Report

Cabinet Report summary

Architects appointed

In Spring 2021, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) were appointed as the masterplanners and multidisciplinary team, and Mae as the architects for the next phase of the West Kentish Town Redevelopment. The new teams are working on a business case to go to Council's Cabinet.

Throughout Summer and Autumn 2021 we held a series of Covid-secure drop-ins and online sessions to update residents, leaseholders and neighbours on the work that is currently taking place, to get feedback and to shape the new estate that residents want to live in and the wider community can be proud of.

Ballot Workshops

Residents have been involved in ballot workshops since October 2019, where they have been learning about the development process and been involved in creating a Resident Brief and Vision Statement.

• October Ballot Workshop
• November Ballot Workshop
• January Ballot workshop

In January 2020, Councillor Beales - the Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities and an Inclusive Economy, wrote to all eligible voters on the Estate announcing the dates and how residents can vote.

• Read Councillor Beales' letter 

Residents were asked to vote on the Landlord Offer, which was delivered in February 2020, along with the documents you can view below.

• The Landlord Offer
• Councillor Beales' covering letter

Ballot on Redevelopment of West Kentish Town Estate

The resident ballot on Redevelopment closed on 17 March 2020.

93 per cent of eligible voting residents voted Yes in the ballot, 7 per cent voted No to the proposals. There was an amazing 84.9 per cent turnout.

Read the letter Councillor Beales sent to the residents here.  

Camden Council was required to hold a ballot on West Kentish Town Estate by the Greater London Authority.  The ballot asked whether or not residents are in favour of the full redevelopment of their Estate and the construction of new homes.   Residents were asked to vote “Yes” or “No” on the following question:

“Are you in favour of the proposal for the redevelopment of West Kentish Town Estate?”.

You can read more about the development proposals in the documents above.

Consulting Residents

As part of this process, a Section 105 Consultation, a requirement of the Housing Act 1987 started from 3 May 2019 and completed on 31 May 2019.  All residents and non-residential leaseholders were sent information explaining the preferred option, recommended by officers to Camden’s Cabinet and asking for feedback. The pack included:

• Summary booklet 
• Local Lettings Plan 

In July 2019 the Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities and an Inclusive Economy (Councillor Danny Beales) and Council officers recommended to Camden Council’s Cabinet that the preferred option to be taken to a resident ballot be complete redevelopment.

Cabinet met on 17 July 2019 and agreed to the recommendations.  It is now the Council's confirmed position that complete redevelopment is the preferred option for the future of West Kentish Town Estate.  See the minutes and a webcast of the meeting here.

Background

West Kentish Town Estate was built in 1964 and consists of 316 homes in 3 and 4 storey blocks. 
The Council have been in conversation with residents about the failing buildings, lack of insulation (impacting on bills and miserableness, security, usable outside space or play provision.  The technical feasibility work that the Council has carried out also indicates complete redevelopment represents the best option with regard to sustainability, buildability and performance against the Residents’ Brief (the set of requests developed by the residents).
 

Visit our Community Liaison Advisors, Yasmin and Jamal at the West Kentish Town Estate drop-in space.

Address: 104a Queens Crescent NW5 4DU Mondays and Wednesdays 10am-5.30pm, Fridays 10am-2pm.  

Yasmin and Jamal will be happy to help with any enquiry and can arrange to meet residents in their home if this is more convenient. 

Yasmin: 07879 636 783
Jamal: 07958 476 110   

Or email us at: wkt@camden.gov.uk