Our Community Has Been Negatively Impacted by The Portobello Square Development
Our beloved neighborhood, Wornington Green, is facing a significant threat from a long-standing development that has already had a detrimental impact on our community. Over the past 15 years, the developer has cut down over 300 trees, leaving our neighborhood deprived of its natural beauty and contributing to the alarming levels of pollution we currently face.
The Pollution in Our Neighborhood is Above WHO Limits and Is Already Impacting Our Health
- Our neighborhood ranks in the 98th percentile for air pollution in the UK.
- In terms of PM2.5, our neighborhood is at 265% of the World Health Organization limit. This means that the air we breathe is heavily contaminated with harmful particles which will impact our respiratory system, with increased incidences of asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases. Long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5 has also been linked to more serious conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and even premature death.
- The level of NO2 in our neighborhood is at 352% of the WHO limit. Exposure to excessive levels of NO2 can lead to respiratory issues, especially for individuals with pre-existing conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Prolonged exposure to high NO2 concentrations has also been associated with increased risk of respiratory infections, reduced lung function, and even cardiovascular problems.
Our Park Shows How The Development Has Negatively Impacted Wornington Green
Until 2010, our park, Athlone Gardens was a beloved space with more than 73 mature trees, beautiful shrubs, lawns, flower beds, rest and play areas, shelter, an open-air ball court, birds, and abundant wildlife. Today, Athlone Gardens is a dismal patch of ground – a dustbowl in Summer and a mud-bath in Winter – with poor facilities and only 5 mature trees.
Delivery of the completed park was originally scheduled for 2016. The developers’ latest estimated delivery date is Spring 2030. A child born in 2010 will not experience the benefits of a proper local park until sometime after their 20th birthday.
Meanwhile, 500 additional homes will bring approximately 1,500 additional residents to Wornington Green – doubling the local population and doubling demands on the park!
The benefits of local parks for physical and mental health, air quality, air temperature reduction, flooding mitigation, biodiversity, community building, and crime and anti-social behaviour reduction are immense.
Our Roads Are Going to Open to Traffic
To make matters worse, the developer plans to open to traffic the sections of Portobello Rd and Wornington Rd that are pedestrian. Opening the pedestrian streets to through traffic will create new rat-runs to Ladbroke Grove.
We Must Take Action
We cannot sit idly by and watch our neighborhood deteriorate further. That is why we have decided to hire a planning consultant who can help us fight against the developer and ensure our voices are heard. We believe that with the right expertise and guidance, we can protect our neighborhood from further harm.
DLBP, a renowned planning consultancy with extensive experience in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, has agreed to support us in this endeavor.
- DLBP has a proven track record of success, including their objection to previous applications such as Kensington Church Street and Westbourne Grove, which led to the withdrawal of those applications.
- DLBP has been recognized for their excellence in planning consultancy, having been selected as a finalist for Planning Consultancy of the Year at the Planning Awards 2023.
- They were also nominated for Small Planning Consultancy of the Year at the RTPI London Planning Awards for Excellence 2023.
You can find more information about them and their proposal here.
To fund the services of DLBP and secure the best chance of success, we kindly ask for your support. We are seeking donations to cover the necessary costs of hiring the planning consultant. The scope of work includes an application review, a section 106 agreement review, an objection letter, and representation at the Planning Committee meeting. The cost for these services is £3,906, including VAT.
We understand that times are tough for everyone, but every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference. Together, we can protect our neighborhood, preserve our park, and ensure a better future for our children and future generations.
Please join us in this fight by donating today. Together, we can make a real impact and secure the future we deserve.
Thank you for your kind consideration and support.
Who We Are
We are a group of concerned neighbours who want to ensure Wornington Green remains a safe environment for our families to live. You can find more information about our work thus far here: https://www.worningtontrees.com/index.html