Hans Crescent Public Realm Scheme

Closes 12 Jan 2025

Opened 29 Nov 2024

Overview

Kensington and Chelsea Council is considering proposals to improve the public realm on Hans Crescent, with funding for the changes provided by local landowners, including Harrods, and from the Council, through a Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy contribution. 

This is an opportunity for an improved amazing space in our borough, with an improved pedestrian experience and a welcoming environment for everyone who lives, works, or visits Hans Crescent.

Thousands of people pass through Hans Crescent every day, many on their way to visit Harrods or to use the Underground. The street is often crowded with people and can be frenetic at times.

The proposed layout would introduce additional planting and public seating in the middle part of the street. The proposals would include high quality materials and more attractive lighting. The intention is to create calmer, safer and inclusive areas for resting and pausing in the centre of the street. The redesign aims to more clearly distinguish between parts of the street intended for pedestrian movement and parts of the street in which to spend time. The layout would continue to afford street space for tables and chairs to be licensed adjacent to shopfronts. The scheme would remove the potential for hospitality terraces to be positioned in the central part of the street. 

The main features of the proposed scheme are:

  • A new palette of paving down the centre of Hans Crescent replacing the central zone of small unit paving and circular patterns with paving consistent with that on the remainder of Hans Crescent. A banded paving pattern (perpendicular to the direction of Hans Crescent) is to be introduced.
  • Six areas of planting in raised planters with integrated seating on the walls surrounding the planted area.
  • Five freestanding natural stone seats for sitting on.
  • The removal of one tree, the retention of four trees (set within grilles, situated within the raised planters) and the planting of three trees towards the Basil Street end.
  • The replacement of the existing lampposts with a new lighting scheme using heritage style lamp columns.
  • An area for taxis and other vehicles to drop off passengers adjacent to Basil Street.

An area of paving would be kept clear to allow for the potential installation of artworks in the future (subject to due approval processes).

A layout drawing of the scheme and illustrations can be seen below:

View from Basil Street looking at proposed scheme

This is an image looking down Hans Crescent from Basil Street towards Brompton Road. It shows six large planters with trees and shrubs positioned centrally along the length of the street. There is timber seating on the rims of the stone planters for visitors to rest. A proportion of the seating has back support and arm rests. A new paving pattern is to be provided between the planters in the central part of the street. The cafés facing Harrods are shown with tables and chairs directly in front of their shopfronts. The area between these tables and chairs and the proposed central planters is clear. Pedestrians can be seen walking on this broad clear path towards the Underground station entrance which is visible in the distance. New heritage style lamp columns can be seen and several bins. Six moderately sized stone plinths are positioned in line with the central planters. These are intended to be used as informal seating.

View looking down Hans Crescent from Brompton Road

This is an image looking down Hans Crescent from Brompton Road towards Basil Street. A large stone planter is visible in the foreground positioned between the footway on Brompton Road and the entrance to the Underground station. There is timber seating with arm rests on the rim of the planter for visitors to rest. A new paving pattern in natural stone is evident on the floor. In the background a line of large planters with trees and shrubs can be seen, positioned centrally, along the length of the street. An area of clear pavement adjacent to the top of the entrance steps to the Underground station is shown.  The cafés facing Harrods are shown with tables and chairs directly in front of their shopfronts. The area between these tables and chairs and the proposed central planters is clear. Pedestrians can be seen walking on this broad clear path towards Basil Street, which is visible in the distance. New heritage style lamp columns can be seen.

Proposed raised planter with seating looking towards Brompton Road

This is an image showing one of the proposed stone planters in detail. A planting scheme is shown with a variety of shrubs, purple flowers and a tree rising centrally. Timber seating is shown on parts of the rim of the stone planter. A proportion of the seating is provided with backrests and armrests. Pedestrians can be seen walking along the street between a line of planters, positioned centrally in the street, and Harrods’ building. Harrods’ green awnings can be seen extending towards but not over the planters.

View of proposed vehicle drop off area on Basil Street

This is an image looking towards Basil Street from the paved space on Hans Crescent adjacent to Harrods. A semi-circular lay-by can be seen with kerbs separating the vehicular set down area from the paved pedestrian area.  One car is shown within the set down area although it could accommodate two. Three trees are shown in the foreground as well as a bin and a pair of stone plinths (to provide informal seating). Timber benching set upon a stone planter can be glimpsed in the corner of the image.

Proposed layout plan

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Why your views matter

We would be grateful to hear your views on whether the proposed public realm scheme on Hans Crescent, shown in the illustrations, should go ahead.    

Council officers will consider all comments received in consultation with Ward Councillors and the Lead Member for Planning and Public Realm before any final decision is made.

Should the Council decide to deliver the public realm scheme, the building works would be carried out by Harrods’ contractors under Council supervision. All licensed pavement furniture in the middle part of the street would have to be removed before the building works start, potentially in Spring 2025. Pavement furniture placed adjacent to shopfronts would not be affected and could remain in place.

This is a chance for you to have your say on the proposed new layout.

If you have any queries, need further information or require the consultation material in another format please email transportplanning@rbkc.gov.uk or call James McCool on 0773 931 7238.

Give us your views

Areas

  • Brompton & Hans Town

Interests

  • Environment
  • Highways
  • Planning
  • Transport
  • Consultations