Queen’s Park Labour Action Report – April 2025

NEWS, CASEWORK AND ACTION

Activities for the Easter Holidays

Sign up for a fun, free activity for your child to do during the school holidays this April. Activities include sports, arts & crafts, dance, youth clubs and more! Click here to find out what’s on offer and sign up. All projects are run by friendly and experienced local organisations who are passionate about creating opportunities for young people. Many activities are free for those receiving free school meals.

Council Budget for 2025/26 – Investing While Keeping Council Tax Low

Westminster Council has set its budget for the coming year, investing more in social care, public safety, housing and cost-of-living support while keeping the Council Tax the second lowest in the country. Click here for more detail.
 
Better Repayment Plans for Council Leaseholders with Major Works Bills

Labour Westminster Council is introducing new payment options to ease pressure on Council leaseholders facing large bills for major works. This is part of the Council’s plans to help tackle the cost-of-living crisis in Westminster.
 
Resident leaseholders facing bills for major works of more than £30,000 will be able to benefit from an 8-year interest-free payment plan – one of the most generous in London. There is also the option of repaying over 13 years, with the first 8 years interest-free. Full details here.
 
In addition, the Discretionary and Voluntary service charge loans, available to leaseholders with bills of over £20,000, will now be interest-free for the first 8 years and will no longer depend on the applicant having to show they couldn’t secure financing elsewhere. Contact your local Housing Services Team to find out more.

Westminster Council Contributes £2.7 million to Paddington Arts Redevelopment Project

It’s great news that Labour Westminster Council has awarded £2.7 million to Paddington Arts to help fund a major redevelopment of its building and expansion of the fantastic work it does with young people as part of the North Paddington Programme.

Paddington Arts, founded in 1998, is a youth arts charity based at 32 Woodfield Road W9. It runs creative programmes for children and young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The project will provide new creative, community and co-working spaces, allowing the charity to support 50% more young people each year. New facilities will include a dance studio, consultation rooms, co-working space, roof terrace, reception, café and live performance area. The new spaces will also support disability arts. mentoring and emotional well-being.

Match funding includes £1.419 million from the North Paddington Capital Budget, £1.25 million from the Paddington Arts Capital Budget, and £50,000 already approved. The Council’s support unlocks £830,000 raised by Paddington Arts from external funders, including the Garfield Weston and London Marathon Foundations.

North Paddington is now home to one of London’s Creative Enterprise Zones — part of the Council’s city-wide initiative to make space for artists and creative businesses to put down roots and grow. The designation brings new investment into skills, training and affordable workspaces, helping local people access careers in one of the UK’s fastest-growing sectors. Paddington Arts is a key part of this creative infrastructure. Its expansion supports the wider ambition to make North Paddington a place where culture and opportunity go hand in hand.

Redevelopment of the Sainsburys/Gasworks Site on Ladbroke Grove

We have written to Kensington and Chelsea Council with a formal response to the planning application for the Sainsburys/Gasworks site on Ladbroke Grove, taking into account the comments we have received from Queen’s Park residents. Click here to view our letter. 

Here are some of the issues we’ve raised:

• Too little affordable housing. While we welcome new housing in the area the developer proposes only 20% of the 3500 homes should be affordable – 35% short of the Mayor of London’s targets.
• Disruption caused to local residents and the impact on local traffic, air quality and noise over a long period – the project is not due to be completed until 2035.
• Impact on local public transport

The amended planning application can be viewed here You can submit your own comments on the amended planning application to Kensington & Chelsea Council here. Scroll down the page to view the planning application documents.

Tyre and Wheel Site Update

The former “Tyre and Wheels” garage at the junction of Harrow Road and St John’s Terrace is a Westminster Community Homes (WCH) site. In response to residents’ concerns, we contacted WCH for an update and received the following response:
 
“The site is in the process of being demolished and should be clear within the next few weeks. We have planning permission to build 15 social rent flats and have discharged all pre-planning requirements. The site was tested as part of the pre-demolition requirements and no contamination issues have been found. Further tests will be undertaken when the building is down fully. The contractor we have appointed will hold public consultation/ drop in sessions once the build begins.”
 
New Local Area Co-ordinators

Two areas of Westminster – Queens Park and Pimlico South – now have someone working in a new role – supporting adults and connecting them to support and services in their area. You might meet them at the family hub, or out and about in the community. They can be alongside you or someone in your family as you make changes in your life, supporting you but always with you in the ‘driving seat’, and there is no limit on how long they can work with someone. The co-ordinators can also help groups of residents set up community projects. Click here for more information including contact details.
 
Ward Budget – Recently Funded Projects

We part-funded the public fireworks display on 5 November last year, The total cost was £9,950 with £4.975 contributed from the Ward Budget. The fireworks display went to plan and was well-attended by 2500-3000 people from the local area. Removing the VIP zone improved the visibility for the crowd and the VIP zone wasn’t missed. We also gave £4,775 towards the costs of the Queen’s Park Winter Festival which was enjoyed by around 500 people and was extremely successful, despite the weather. Harrow Road Soup Kitchen prepared an amazing meal for the Over 50s, as well as hot soup for everyone at the event. The Over 50s said it was the best-ever party! Both Georgia Gould MP and the Lord Mayor of Westminster attended the Festival and thoroughly enjoyed their visits.
 
What are Ward Budgets? In Westminster, the Councillors in each ward are allocated a budget of £46,000 per year to support activities which benefit residents of the ward. Community groups, charities and organisations can apply. Click here for more information. 
 
New Air Monitor in Queens Park Gardens 

Following a request from your local Councillors working with Queens Park Community Council, we’re delighted that Westminster Council has agreed to increase air quality monitoring in Queens Park. The monitoring station will record background air quality, which is most relevant when assessing exposure of people, in particular fine particles (PM2.5) Nox and Ozone. It will be one of the few stations where we measure Ozone in the borough. Once in operation, the monitoring data will be published on the London Air Quality monitoring website (London Air Quality Network) and on Westminster’s own Air Quality Data platform (Microsoft Power BI).
 
Thanks to Queens Park Community Council, Ray Lancashire and John McArdle for sharing results from the community air quality monitoring project 
 
Squatting

We have been dealing with several issues regarding squatting and are pleased that we have been able to secure joint action from A2Dominion Housing Association and the Police to secure another property, and action from the Police on a further property. Please let us know of any other properties where squatting may be an issue.
 
Moberly Cafe

It’s good news that a new cafe has opened in the Moberly Leisure Centre. We’ve been working to get this space brought back into use for some time.

Playground – Avenue Gardens

The playground needs attention. We have asked the Council to arrange an inspection and carry out all necessary repairs as soon as possible.

Graffiti 

We have requested the removal of graffiti across Queens Park including in locations reported by local resident Ray Lancashire. If you see graffiti, please use  Report It to let the Council know so it can be removed quickly. You can also dumped rubbish, broken streetlights, defective pavements, potholes, concerns about animals, noise, anti-social behaviour, abandoned vehicles and much more.
 
28 Bus

We contacted Transport for London (TfL) erratic service residents are experiencing on the 28 bus route from Harrow Road towards Notting Hill Gate. TfL has now agreed to review the reliability of the route.
 
Bruckner Street

We have requested replacement planting alongside the Jubilee Community Centre where the current shrubs have been damaged. 
 
Mozart Major Works

We have campaigned for improvements to Mozart Estate, so we are glad that the long overdue major works are now underway with scaffolding up across the estate. Click here for more information.
 
Queens Park Family Hub

The consultation is now closed, and the planning application is being prepared. There’s more information here, including the topics covered in the consultation, images of the proposed building and internal layout. We will provide updates on the timescales when we have them.

Foodbank

We can refer residents to the North Paddington Foodbank. Please let us know if you know anyone struggling, there is help available.
 
Housing Adaptations for People With Disabilities 

We are supporting several residents with their applications for adaptations to their homes. Please let us know if you know of anyone struggling at home and would benefit from adaptions.
 
New Tree On Bravington Road

We are pleased that we were able to get a new cherry tree planted on Bravington Road following a request from a resident. Please let us know of any other locations suitable for trees and we will do our best to get them planted.
 
Queens Park Court Update

Here is the latest update from the contractor: “The team will proceed with the installation of the new cladding system, continuing to transform the building’s exterior to meet design and performance standards. 

• Work will begin on the main roof, ensuring it is properly sealed and finished to protect the building from the elements. 
• Balustrades and finishing touches will be added to the balconies, enhancing both safety and the visual appeal of the outdoor spaces.
• Additional demolition will take place within the homes as needed, addressing any remaining issues and making room for the installation of new elements. 
• New installations and improvements will begin within the homes, ensuring that all spaces meet modern living standards and the overall project goals. 
• As the project progresses, residents and the local community can expect to see increased activity on-site as more work commences. The team remains dedicated to delivering quality results, and we appreciate the continued support of the community during this exciting transformation.”

It was great to see some of you at the “Meet the Contractor” event on 5 February. It was a chance for residents to meet the Willmott Dixon team, who will be taking the project forward on behalf of the Council. Here are some of the questions asked and the answers:

• Has the scheme changed? The scheme has not changed – the scheme will deliver 21 affordable homes which will be a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom homes.
• When will the new homes be ready? The new homes will be ready in Autumn 2025.
• What hours will you be working? Willmott Dixon’s working hours are Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm. Working Saturdays may be required with working hours between 8am and 2pm. 
• How will the parking be allocated in the new development? The parking will be managed and allocated through Westminster’s Housing Service.
• How will the homes be allocated? The new homes will be allocated to residents registered on Westminster’s rehousing list. You will not be considered if you are not registered. Once ready, these homes will be allocated in line with a Local Lettings Plan, which prioritises those who live close to the development and are on the housing waiting list. The exact criteria for priority will be determined closer to the time. Please note, there is no guarantee that if you apply, you will be accepted onto the register. This will depend on your circumstances and housing need. Please visit: www.westminster.gov.uk/housing/registersocial-housing/how-apply-social-housing to read the newly effective Allocations Scheme. Section 9.1 of the allocation policy sets out we approach to the Local Lettings Plan.
• Who do we speak to if there is a problem? Joan Gallagher is your Resident Liaison Officer for the scheme and will be your first point of contact to support you with any issues that come up. You can contact Joan on 07980 922 222 and joan.gallagher@willmottdixon.co.uk