Notting Hill Gate draft action plan

We asked for feedback on the vision, objectives, key locations and project ideas within the draft Notting Hill Gate Action Plan. The draft plan was developed with the local community and the project ideas aimed at improving public spaces in and around the high street.

The consultation was open for six weeks between 13 May and 23 June 2024. An exhibition took place on 23 May 2024 in the local area.

We received 155 responses to the questionnaire and an additional six via email. 79% of respondents were residents, 17% visitors, 6% businesses, and 4% chose ‘other’.

• Most respondents (61%) agree or strongly agree with the action plan vision: Notting Hill Gate will be a green, healthy, safe, and welcoming high street with a unique identity. A place that inspires and delights. It will meet the needs of residents and attract visitors and businesses.
• All objectives were well supported and no business disagreed or strongly disagreed with any objective.
• Objective 2 (A well-managed, well-maintained high street) garnered the greatest level of support (82% of responses support or strongly support).
• Objective 1 had the lowest rate of agreement (66%). Objective 1 reflects the community desire for a more pedestrian friendly public realm. However, many respondents raised concerns about the impact on traffic of extensive pavement widening because Notting Hill Gate is a key traffic route. Nevertheless, some did say that specific areas would benefit from wider pavements, such as Pembridge Road along the busy Portobello tourist trail.
• Objective 3 was about an accessible high street for people with reduced mobility, which may translate into public seating for resting. But consultees said seating should be balanced with concerns over anti-social behaviour.
• Objective 5 was about celebrating history and heritage. Some consultees said that Notting Hill Gate’s character and identity should be strengthened.
• Consultees suggested amending objective 6 to reflect the Council Plan’s ambition for a greener borough. In fact, greening interventions were well supported if well maintained.
• Improving pedestrian crossings was well supported, especially at the junction with Linden Gardens and Kensington Palace Gardens. Consultees asked for a new pedestrian crossing on Campden Hill Road.
• Feedback showed that decluttering pavements should be a priority and that any proposals should avoid additional clutter.

Based on the feedback, the project team worked closely with ward councillors and other council teams to assess the feasibility of each project idea. Only projects with clear community support and scope were retained, although most interventions still require further studies and funding before they can be delivered.

The action plan was amended as follows:

• Unlike suggested in the 2024 consultation, the action plan does not propose to widen pavements throughout Notting Hill Gate. Pavement widening will only be pursued where there is actual evidence of community support and need.
• The action plan will prioritise interventions that help deliver a well-managed, well-maintained high street.
• The vision and objectives were amended to make them more specific, optimistic and balanced, reflecting consultees’ priorities and concerns. For example, the need to strike a balance between:
  • improving the pedestrian environment with Notting Hill Gate’s role in the wider traffic network,
  • opportunities to rest and curbing anti-social behaviour
  • celebrating heritage and enhancing the area’s character and identity into the future.
• All project ideas take street clutter into account and greening proposals include a maintenance programme with allocated budget.

Next steps

The action plan can be used as a tool to leverage funding to deliver a community-backed vision for Notting Hill Gate. The plan will continue to evolve over time as projects are completed and as new opportunities or community priorities emerge.

Between the end of the 2024 consultation and the publication of this update, the project team had the opportunity to test the action plan framework and access funding for high streets from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This enabled the delivery of quick wins included in the action plan and detailed with ward councillors during the 2025-2026 financial year. The improvements focused on:

• Greening
• Decluttering street furniture
• Improving a pedestrian crossing

Further projects are intended to be delivered as and when funding becomes available, although further testing, detailing and community engagement will be required in most cases.

Visit the action plan webpage to find out more about our progress.

You can find the full survey report below.