Plans for new homes and a Health and Wellbeing Hub at Lisson Grove have moved a step closer! In this newsletter you will find our latest proposals and information about what the project will deliver and where you can come and talk to us at upcoming events.
Find out more about the proposals
Come and see us at one of our up coming drop-ins at the Community Hub at 4 Lilestone Street on the dates below:
We will also be holding workshops - see details below:
Workshop 1: Place, Identity and Public Space
Where: 35-37 Church Street, NW8 8ES Community Hub
When: Wednesday 18 March 12-2:30pm or Thursday 19 March 5:30-8 pm
Workshop 2: Designing Public, Shared & Private Spaces
Where: 35-37 Church Street, NW8 8ES
When: Tuesday 24 March 5:30-8pm or Wednesday 25 March 12-2:30pm
Please RSVP if you would like to attend the workshops. Spaces are limited and given out in the order we receive responses. We will prioritise residents and community groups who live and operate in Lisson Grove and Lisson Green area. Only come if you have received confirmation that your RSVP was accepted. To RSVP, visit the web links listed above, stop by the Regeneration Space at 56 Church Street, or talk to us at a drop-in. If you take part in the workshops, you will be compensated for your time. Terms and conditions apply.
After these workshops, there will also be a exhibition setting out the latest plans - see the details below:
Where: 35-37 Church Street, NW8 8ES
When: Wednesday 15 April 12-2:30 and Thursday 16 April 5:30-8pm
New homes and Health & Wellbeing Hub
Westminster City Council is proposing to build new homes, a Health and Wellbeing Hub and redevelop the council building on Orchardson Street. As part of the project, the Greenside Community Centre, the blocks on Lilestone Street, Gayhurst and Penn Houses will be replaced with:
- Much-needed new council homes for social rent for people on the housing waiting list.
- A new fully accessible Health and Wellbeing hub.
- High-quality public landscaping.
Priority for the new affordable homes will be given to:
- Residents currently living at 6–12 Lilestone Street (Gayhurst House).
- Residents on the Lisson Green Estate who are in housing need e.g. overcrowded, medical reasons, etc.
New homes
If these proposals go ahead, around 300 new, high-quality homes will be built. The council aims to ensure at least 50% of these new homes are either available at social rent or intermediate rent levels.
Health & Wellbeing Hub
The Health and Wellbeing hub will create:
- A dedicated Hub from which Health and Wellbeing services will be delivered for the local community.
- A permanent, home for the temporary Community Hub.
- A new base for two GP surgeries.
- A new purpose built facility for WAES and other council services.
- Improved resident access to council support services, including employment and housing.
Join a site visit of one of our new homes developments
Join us on a visit to a recently completed development and see how a collaborative approach, involving the local community, helped shape the final design. The first phase of Ebury Bridge, delivered by the council, includes 226 new homes, including 110 high-quality council homes and 16 homes for returning leaseholders.
When: Wednesday 11 March 10.30am to 12:30pm
For more details, please RSVP on the by clicking here.
Your Community Hub at 4 Lilestone Street
Building on the great work of the Temporary Community Hub at 4 Lilestone Street, the council has been meeting with local community groups, including Mosaic Community Trust, MBS Centre, The Penfold Centre, Paddington Development Trust, and Church Street Community Health and Wellbeing Workers. The team will continue to work with these groups and local residents.
How the project will benefit local residents?
All Church Street residents will benefit from:
A new Health and Wellbeing Hub, which is a crucial part of reducing Church Street health inequalities.
All Lisson Green Estate Residents:
A new park with accessible facilities as well as improved Green Spaces and play areas for all residents. If these proposals go ahead, there will be additional investment in the local infrastructure and services through the planning process.
Secure Tenants living on the Lisson Green Estate
If you are on the waiting list for a new house (due to overcrowding or your current home is unsuitable), you will have priority to bid for a newly built home on the Lisson Green Estate and Ochardson Street sites which meets your needs and a Secure Tenancy with rent will be set in the same way as it is now.
Temporary Accommodation Households living on the Lisson Green Estate
Regeneration projects such as this can create opportunities to respond to housing need across neighbourhoods. In some completed Westminster schemes, where appropriate, Local Lettings Plans have included opportunities for different resident groups including eligible households in temporary accommodation with longstanding community ties to bid for newly built homes. These plans are tailored to each individual scheme.
Over the coming months, we will engage residents on the draft Local Lettings Plan for Lisson Green. Any proposals will be subject to consultation, eligibility criteria and the council’s Allocations Scheme. No decisions have been taken at this stage.
All residents living in 6-12 Lilestone and Gayhurst House
For Secure Tenants: You will be offered a newly built home on the Lisson Green Estate, which meets your needs with a Secure Tenancy with your rent set in the same way as it is now. There will be support for moving and you will receive a homeloss payment. Your need will be assessed so that you are allocated the right sized home to meet your needs.
For resident leaseholders: You will have the opportunity to purchase a newly built home on the Lisson Green estate and receive support, such as an interest free equity loan, to help you remain part of the community. You will also receive homeloss compensation of 10% of your property value in addition to the agreed sale price.
Your questions answered
Question: Resident:
"Church Street is a densely populated area, can it cope with more residents?"
Answer: Westminster City Council:
The housing crisis is real, and it is in Church Street. Over 589 households are living in housing need in Church Street. This is impacting
household lives, and affecting everything, from residents' health to employment opportunities. If new homes aren’t built in Church Street, these residents will be forced to move elsewhere.
We don’t believe this is the right choice for the council to make. We have undertaken both service and population studies and these show Church Street can support additional residents with the appropriate investment. Regeneration projects including the Lisson Green Programme, will bring additional investment into the local area to support local services and infrastructure.
Question: Resident:
"How has my feedback been used in designing the new homes and facilities?"
Answer: Westminster City Council:
We have made significant changes to the plans for the homes and buildings on Lilestone Street including reducing the height of taller buildings. If we reduce the height further, we lose homes, green space, or both. We don’t believe this would be the right thing to do. We know from surveys that most local residents support the aims of the Lisson Grove Programme and think the design is moving in the right direction. We need to balance local need and the views of ALL residents.
Question: Resident:
"You're not building a Health and Wellbeing Hub; you're just building a council office building."
Answer: Westminster City Council:
The primary aim of the new Health and Wellbeing Hub will be to provide services that help to tackle the health inequalities faced by Church Street residents.
We specifically want to work with local community groups, including those with a strong focus on the delivery and promotion of health and wellbeing activities, on the design of the ground floor of the Health and Wellbeing Hub.
How your feedback has changed the plans
Your feedback
Since our last newsletter in late December, 356 residents have completed our survey - the results are below:
- 81% of residents think that these proposals are moving in the right direction.
- 11% Don't think these proposals are moving in the right direction.
- 8% said they were unsure.
Construction Disruption
You said:
“We are going to live through years of construction, and this will impact our lives.”
We will:
The council has extensive experience delivering projects in tight, constrained areas. We will:
- Require any contractors to provide a detailed methodology for delivering the new buildings and facilities.
- Monitor noise, dust, and vibration at all projects and stop works if thresholds are broken.
- Expect our contractors to be considerate, transparent, and responsive to our residents.
Insufficient Parking Spaces
You said:
“There is not enough parking provision, how will the estate cope with new residents and users of the Health and Wellbeing Hub?”
We have:
- Existing residents who have to move to allow regeneration to go ahead will keep their parking permits.
- Ensured that new residents moving in will not be eligible for parking permits apart from disabled residents.
- Designed loading bays on Lilestone Street and Mallory Street for contractors and essential services.
Health and Wellbeing Hub
You said:
“We don’t want the Hub to become a ‘mini-town hall’ that is dominated by council services.”
We have:
Changed the layout of the Health and Wellbeing Hub by:
- Moved the Hub entrance to directly face Church Street.
- GP Services moved to a lower floor with a separate entrance.
- The ground floor will be a vibrant ‘community- centred’ environment.
Usable open spaces
You said:
“We really value the green spaces at Lilestone Street and they are very well used by the community. Please protect this space.”
We have:
Ensured that there will be no loss of green open space:
- A new central communal garden will be created and will be open for everyone to enjoy. The new Health and Wellbeing Hub will open directly
onto this outdoor community space. - A generous natural play area will be introduced along Lilestone Street.
- The Lisson Grove street frontage will be improved with new seating and visitor cycle parking.
New buildings and homes
The dotted line shows the old proposals with the shaded area showing the new proposals.
You said:
“We’re concerned about the impact of the tallest building on the neighbourhood and its surroundings.”
We have:
- Redesigned the scheme so it still provides around 300 new homes across both sites.
- However we have reduced the maximum height from 20 to 16 floors.
- Buildings have been adjusted to reduce impact on the existing residents.
Securing funding from the Mayor of London
The Council plans to apply for affordable housing funding from the Mayor of London to support the delivery of the proposed affordable homes, which
will be built as part of this scheme. To secure this funding, the Mayor of London requires Councils to hold ballots among residents living on the estates where new homes are proposed to be built.
In this case, we expect the ballot to include residents of the Lisson Green Estate. This will not only give residents the chance to have their say on the proposals, but a yes vote will secure this additional funding. In March, residents of Lisson Green Estate will receive a letter confirming whether they can vote in the ballot. This letter will come from Civica, an independent organisation running the ballot.
