MAY 2025

Events in our neighbouring areas - and calling all photographers!


Dear Members and Supporters,

We attach below an update on the Holland Park Roundabout, which looks like it will go ahead, despite being based on unsound statistics and intense local opposition.

We also have details of a couple of events from our neighbouring Residents' Association - a VE Day celebration and a lecture on making historic houses energy efficient.

Finally, we are in need of Hillgate Village photographs for our newsletter!  As the summer approaches, please get your cameras out and send any pictures you'd like featured on our newsletter to hillgatevillage@outlook.com.  No prizes, sadly, but the glory of seeing your work distributed through the neighbourhood...

With best wishes,

Your Committee

Latest Newcombe House community update newsletter


From the developers, Beltane - you can find ithere.

This has also been made available on the project website:

 www.newcombehouse.info

A message from the Norland Conservation Society:


An invitation from The Revd Gareth Wardell for a special afternoon event (see above).
 
"At 3.30pm on the afternoon of Sunday 11th May, we will be holding a special service to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day! This will be similar to the celebration services we held to mark the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the King’s Coronation. The service will be led by our magnificent professional choir, the St James’ Singers and will be followed by afternoon tea in the gardens, when the St James’ singers will entertain us with war-time songs from the 1940s! This is a community event to which all are invited and there will be no charge either for the service or the refreshments afterwards."

Norland Conservation Society Lecture


Please findherethe invitation to this year's Norland Conservation Society Lecture which we believe will be of interest to many of you:  
 
“Futureproofing is Preserving”  - How we can make our houses more energy efficient without losing their historic beauty
 
The speakers Siri and Khuzema are architects who founded Collective Works, a firm that specialises in renovations of period houses with an eye to both keeping their beautiful antique features and making homes more energy efficient.
 
You are welcome to bring friends and neighbours who might be interested in the subject.  Please make sure to RSVP (membership@ncslondon.co.uk) as places are limited.

Update on the Holland Park Roundabout from Save Our Streets (SOS):


We're writing to give you an update on the SOS Group's opposition to TfL's proposed cycleway across the Holland Park Roundabout (HPR).
 
Firstly, a very big thank you to all of you who have written in voicing your concerns about the proposed cycle lane.  Those of you who CC'd our MP, Joe Powell, may have received a note from him in the last week or so, but more about that in a moment.
 
You will recall the SOS Group's recent leafleting and press campaign, mentioned in our previous emails (31st March and 2nd April).  The press campaign resulted in coverage, inter alia, in:

In terms of your recent letters of objection sent to TfL / Joe Powell / etc, it looks as though TfL's Customer Service Centre has sent a standard reply to anyone who wrote in airing their concerns.  The reply appears to parrot what TfL said previously, in the consultation report it issued after the 'consultation' last year.  The reply appears not to have taken account of any of the actual issues / objections raised.
 
In response to letters of objection, Joe Powell sent the attached letter to objectors (it does seem as though not all objectors received this letter, but at least some of you will have done).
 
In response to this letter, the SOS Group has written to Joe Powell, on the terms quoted below, asking him to correct mistakes he has made in his letter and any misapprehensions that he may continue to have.
 
·         The reference to Holland Park Roundabout as one of the most dangerous on the network is not borne out by any of the material we have seen. TfL’s own statistics show that it is NOT dangerous for cyclists, with only one minor accident in the three-year reference period used by TfL. Nor does it appear on the London Cycling Campaign’s list of most dangerous junctions for cyclists. https://lcc-dangerous-junctions.streamlit.app/ .
 
·         The traffic modelling used by TfL was based on a scheme that bears no resemblance to the Holland Park Roundabout scheme as C34 is a quieter route that doesn’t go through a roundabout or link up major arterial routes. Additionally, this modelling was done during the pandemic and outside of rush hour when there was minimal traffic. The up-to-date local modelling commissioned by the Holland Park Traders Association shows massively increased congestion and displacement of traffic to residential streets. You say that you will hold TfL to account if their modelling proves incorrect, but it will be too late by then.
 
·         You say that your priority has been to ensure constituents have a voice at the table. Yet, your constituents don’t have a voice at the table. TfL admitted in our meeting with them last year that they plan to proceed with their proposed cycle lane irrespective of what any member of the public says, and no matter how many objections they receive. Additionally, we haven’t seen any individualised TfL responses to residents – instead, only one standard, brush-off reply sent to everyone who has written in.
 
Please forgive this long email..... but it is important to us that you, our members and neighbours, understand that the SOS campaign is not anti-cycling.  It is about SAFER cycling, and aims to highlight that this very expensive scheme:

  • would not render cyclists & cycling safer (the proposed scheme does NOT make provision for an end-to-end protected cycleway, but would still require cyclists to stop at red traffic lights as they made their way across the roundabout);

  • would be to the detriment of the majority of road users;

  • would negatively impact neighbouring residential areas, creating increased congestion, pollution and danger to the residents, pedestrians and cyclists on those streets.

The campaign has also proposed that using the existing infrastructure around the roundabout, upgraded, would be a far better, more effective, less invasive and less expensive course of action to follow.
 
The campaign has also highlighted that TfL's accumulation and presentation of data appears to be misleading (at best).   The SOS position has been substantiated by independent research and rigorous data analysis.
 
All of the above being the case, we would:
 
1.  Ask that if you got the letter of reply from Joe Powell, that you respond to him, highlighting his errors and re-emphasising the flaws in TfL's proposal, not least the lack of suitable data modelling and due & proper democratic process, and the fact that the expensive proposed scheme is not likely to improve safety for cyclists;
 
and / or 
 
2. Continue to urge you to make your objections heard, please, by writing to:

copying in your councillors and the SOS group:
 

April 2025

Drinks Social

Thank you to all who came to the drinks social event, which was wonderfully hosted by the Campden Hill Lawn Tennis Club.  Thank you especially to our Councillors, Lloyd North and Preety Hudd, who came to talk to residents and listen to their concerns.  It was a pleasure to meet some of our members and neighbours!

A message from our local Residents' Associations:


A combination of 44 local businesses and 10 local residents’ associations representing thousands of residents have combined forces to campaign against TfL’s plan to jam up Holland Park Roundabout, by adding new traffic lights and running a new cycle lane through the middle of it, when there is already parallel infrastructure for cyclists on either side.

This is a major 4-way arterial route, north-south and east-west, in, out of, and across London, which many vehicles cannot reasonably avoid. TfL’s plan will remove lanes used by all traffic, including buses and emergency vehicles, rather than improve the existing infrastructure which is safe and effective.

The campaigners are objecting to TfL’s traffic scheme as it will result in:

Traffic displacement
Traffic will be pushed from main roads onto residential side streets, increasing the risk of accidents for cyclists and pedestrians using these quieter routes.
 
Increased congestion
As TfL is proposing to add four new sets of signals to the roundabout, and to remove lanes, congestion is bound to increase. Traffic modelling, commissioned by the Holland Park Avenue Traders Association from consultants used by TfL, shows queues increased on Holland Park Avenue by 795% in the morning peak and by 159% in the evening peak. The equivalent increases on Holland Road are 225% in the morning and 296% in the evening.
 
Increased pollution
As crawling traffic is more polluting than flowing traffic, an increase in pollution levels around one of London’s busiest intersections is extremely likely.
 
Longer journey times
The congestion will significantly increase journey times for people who commute by bus or car, plus delivery and other vehicles, and slow response times for the many emergency vehicles who use this route.
 
Economic damage
Experience from other ill-conceived traffic schemes shows that increased congestion damages the trade of local businesses, resulting in shop closures. For example, in the Wandsworth Bridge Road/New Kings Road area, 87.4% of shops suffered a loss of trade when a new traffic scheme was introduced.

The campaigners are alsoobjecting to the misleading way TfL has promoted its scheme, arguing:
 
TfL’s scheme is not needed
With cyclists already using the two existing cycle routes and with only one slight cycle accident occurring on the roundabout during TfL’s 3-year reference period, the roundabout is not dangerous for cyclists and a third cycle lane is not needed.
 
TfL’s scheme is not safe
Encouraging cyclists onto a very busy roundabout with unsegregated, unprotected crossings is not safe, particularly if cyclists are tempted to shoot red lights on the roundabout.
 
TfL has used flawed data
TfL based its traffic modelling on data collected in the pandemic, when traffic was at its lowest level in the past three decades. Doing that suggested TfL’s plans would have insignificant traffic impacts. However, modelling that uses recent data shows the proposed scheme will lead to massively increased congestion.
 In promoting its plans to build a bike lane through the roundabout, TfL cited all accidents in a wide vicinity of it, even though the vast majority didn’t involve a cyclist. Analysis of accidents on the roundabout itself reveals only one slight cycle accident in TfL’s 3-year reference period.
 
There is overwhelming local opposition
TFL is flouting the findings of its own consultation which showed that fewer than 12% of people and fewer than 30% of cyclists were supportive. A petition against the scheme received over 3500 signatures, 68% more than responded to TFL’s consultation.
 
Residents have a better solution
We have recommended upgrading the two existing cycle routes around the outside of the roundabout, which could deliver TfL’s cycling objectives much more quickly, at lower cost and without jamming up the roads. 
 
Please let your voices be heard byemailing:

Copying in the SOS group and ourselves:

Further information can be found at: https://sos10.co.uk/

And from the organisers of the popular Farmers' Market at Fox School:


You might be aware that the farmers market recently received temporary planning permission to remain at Fox school. This was despite us applying for full permanent planning permission which the farmers market had obtained at our old location a few metres down the road. RBKC has now only offered the market a short temporary 3 year permission without any discussion or robust reasoning for this time limit.

Before we know it, the farmers' market will be required to submit a full planning application again which makes the farmers' market's future much less secure. Therefore as a compromise we are applying to RBKC to extend this temporary time limit from 3 to 4 years, we believe this is a reasonable request given that the market has always been well managed and is popular with the local community.

This extension will also allow the council more time to monitor the market's activities and to recommend changes to its operations should they be required. We would really appreciate your support by submitting your views on the Council's website here.

The Planning application reference is PP/25/01603

Thank you in advance for your time. If you have any questions please drop us a line info@lfm.org.uk

February 2025

Dear Members and Supporters,

We will try to take the items below in order of priority, starting (most importantly) with our drinks party at Campden Hill LTC: 

Drinks Party Social: Wednesday 12th March 6-8pm

At the Campden Hill Lawn Tennis Club: https://www.chltc.co.uk/

The Tennis Club at 9 Aubrey Walk is kindly allowing us to host this informal drinks party. We look forward to seeing as many as possible of you to meet your new committee, discuss current issues and get to know some of your neighbours! 
 
We have invited Ward Councillors (Lloyd North, Catherine Faulks and Preeti Hudd) to mingle and listen to any concerns, but this is primarily a social evening and no speeches are planned. We also hope to be joined by “3RA” colleagues - Fiona Fleming Brown (Pembridge Association) and Isidore Margaronis and David White of Campden Hill Residents' Association.
 
Numbers are limited to 40 people, so please let us know on hillgatevillage@outlook.com if you'd like to come - book early to avoid disappointment!  And likewise please also let us know if you book and find you're unable to make it, as we will run a waiting list.
 
The Tennis Club is accessed by external stairs to the first floor. If anyone has difficulty with those, the emergency exit at pavement level can be used to access the lift. There will be some seating available in the drinks area on the first floor, overlooking the courts.
 
As it's an event for the benefit of our members and supporters, we will not be charging for entrance or drinks & nibbles; but we would be grateful if those of you who have not renewed your membership could visit our website to do so, before or after the event:

https://www.hillgatevillage.com/membership - £15 yearly per household

We look forward to seeing you there!

The HVRA Committee

Resident parking permits for 2nd home owners : RBKC consultation 


RBKC are proposing to extend permits to drivers whose main residence is outside the borough, but who have a second home within the borough.  Currently they are not allowed to apply for permits.
 
It claims that a slight overall reduction in the use of resident parking across the borough justifies this, and that it would generate approx. £350,000 per year in extra revenue.

However:

  • Parking in Hillgate Village is NOT under-utilised and it can be difficult for residents to find a place - this would make things worse.

  • Our proximity to the Central Line means some second home owners might use their permit to commute and park their car in our streets.

  • Residents of new developments are not allowed permits, so where is the logic in granting these to second home owners?

  • Visitor permits would be a useful alternative which could raise revenue and benefit existing residents.

You can make your views known on this link here: 

https://consult.rbkc.gov.uk/communities/residents-permits-eligibility/

Pleasenote the closing date of February 23rd. 

Unless we hear otherwise (at hillgatevillage@outlook.com or by conversations with the committee) HVRA will formally object by the deadline above.

Security issues

 
Sadly, these continue to grow, and apart from the rise in shoplifting and knife crime we note:

  • There has been a well spoken confidence trickster reported repeatedly in the area, claiming to have been locked out of his house/needing money for a taxi to hospital/etc.  There's also a lady claiming to be the 'housekeeping' and hoping to be let in by builders, etc.

  • Norland Conservation Society warned of aggressive break-in attempts in Pottery Lane in their last newsletter.

  • Charity “chuggers”, e.g. Battersea Dogs Home, recently knocking on doors up to 9pm at night (which is, surprisingly, allowed by the relevant guidelines). 

  • Fake QR codes on 'Pay to Park' signs - please ensure you do not use these to pay for parking.

  • On rough sleepers, the council recently issued this useful guide as to how they should be helped https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/housing/homelessness-0/help-homelessness/rough-sleeping

If you wish to report anything suspicious please call 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Newcombe House progress (and Notting Hill Gate Improvement Plan)


While we have heard of considerable noise experienced by some members in Jameson Street, we have had no emails of complaint. We conclude the redevelopment is progressing smoothly - along the lines explained at the developer's meeting last year. 
 
If you do have any specific complaints, you can get in touch via their websitehere(where you can access all relevant documents).
 
On the related “Notting Hill Gate improvement plan”, we have not heard any further firm news since the lengthy and detailed response from ourselves and our neighbouring residents' associations (3RA) was lodged with RBKC in September. 

Holland Park roundabout update

 
The Save Our Streets (SOS) Group were disappointed to report that Transport for London (TfL) are proceeding with the plans to install a cycle route through Holland Park roundabout, mixing car and cycle traffic on the approach.  This is likely to increase congestion, diverting drivers and cyclists onto surrounding streets.  It's especially frustrating as there is an existing cycleway which could be upgraded without the problems outlined above.  There have been almost no accidents involving cyclists on this roundabout in the last 3 years, so it's unclear what problem this change is trying to solve.
 
Together with repeated closures of the Westway, we anticipate serious traffic issues in the coming months. The long term effects of the scheme are likely to increase traffic pollution, and diversion of traffic to currently quiet side streets.

Licensing issues


Belugarestaurant on Notting Hill Gate recently applied for 2:00am opening, 7 days a week.  Following HVRA objections and representation at the licensing hearing, this was modified to 1:30am on Thursdays and 2:00am on Fridays and Saturdays only, with alcohol sales stopping 30 minutes before closing.  Deliveries were also restricted to 8am onwards.

Once one establishment has permission for late night operating, it's very easy for others to request the same, so we are scrutinising everything that's applied for!

Akubrestaurant - they are required to have a residents' meeting as a condition of their license.  A recent meeting we attended focused on early deliveries, which are causing huge annoyance to neighbouring properties (average time of 6:18am).  Our local councillors are getting involved.

Archer Street(bar on Notting Hill Gate) - again, a regular meeting which raised a few instances of customers causing disturbances when leaving in the early hours.

Final Divertissement


Thank you for reading this far. We traditionally end with a more lighthearted or historical item. 
 
This one is serious and historical, but quite fascinating – a personal history of Virginia McCutcheon, who lived through WWII in Shanghai:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xn755gCqaA