Breaking news!
On 18 May, a Planning Inspector refused permission for a controversial high-rise housing scheme in Peckham. Whilst acknowledging the urgent need for new homes, the Inspector concluded that the claimed benefits of the development did not outweigh the harm it would cause to the heritage and wider character of the area.
The Peckham decision sends a powerful message:
Even in the middle of a housing crisis, major developments can still be refused where they are poorly designed, overwhelm local infrastructure, or cause unacceptable harm to heritage and the wider environment.
Those are precisely the kinds of concerns being raised about Kensal Canalside:
- Widespread harm to Kensal Green cemetery — a Grade I listed historic landscape
- Public health risks linked to contamination and remediation of toxic land
- Lack of genuinely affordable housing
- Serious emergency access concerns
- Years of traffic chaos
- Poor public transport connectivity
- Excessive density on a cul-de-sac site
Importantly, the Inspector in Peckham made clear that brownfield designation and housing targets do not automatically override other planning protections.
That matters enormously because developers — and increasingly City Hall — often present schemes like these as “inevitable”. The Peckham decision shows they are not.
There is still time for the Mayor of London to intervene at Kensal Canalside.
He can call in the application.
He can direct refusal.
He can insist on a safer, fairer and more sustainable approach.
But only if the strength of public concern is unmistakable.
What can you do right now?
• Share this petition with friends and neighbours
• Help others understand what is at stake
• Donate to support legal action
Whatever the Mayor decides, we need to be ready for legal action. If he approves the scheme, we are preparing a High Court challenge. If he refuses, developers are likely to pursue a lengthy and expensive Planning Inspectorate appeal. Either way, we must be prepared.
Donate to the legal fund 👉 https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/judicial-review-challenge-rbkc/
Please share the petition 👉 https://www.change.org/KensalGreenCemetery
Follow 👉 @KeepKensalGreen on Instagram
Together, we can show that Londoners do not oppose new housing — but we do expect it to be safe, lawful, sustainable, and fair.