Extending parking controls near Olympia

Overview

The site of Olympia Exhibition Centre has been redeveloped to include new attractions that are planned to open between September 2025 and early 2026. This includes a large music venue, a theatre and several restaurants and bars. These new uses will bring more visitors to the local area, especially in the evenings.

Although most visitors are likely to use public transport, the Council believes that a reduction in on-site parking, and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham’s plans to extend controlled parking hours around Olympia, will make resident and visitor (pay-by-phone) parking bays within Kensington and Chelsea attractive to some of Olympia’s visitors.

Evidence from similar attractions indicates that drivers seeking on-street parking may walk up to 15-20 minutes. This suggests an area of potential impact from Holland Park Avenue to West Cromwell Road, and as far east as Holland Park and Earl’s Court.

Current parking arrangements

Within this area of potential impact, the majority of streets have controls on residents’ bays until 10pm on weekdays, but no controls at the weekend after 1.30pm on Saturdays. Zone B on the map below has longer controls to mitigate impact from shoppers visiting Kensington High Street.

Possible changes and the implications

The Council believes there is a case for extending parking controls within the area highlighted above. It is acknowledged that extended controls will make it harder for Kensington and Chelsea residents’ visitors to park. In recognition of this we are not proposing to implement controls until 4:00pm on Sundays in Zone A and 1:00pm in Zone B. The Council would like to hear what residents think of the proposals set out below.

Resident Bays

The extension of parking controls in residents’ bays on weekend afternoons and evenings would protect these bays for residents’ use by preventing visitors without Kensington and Chelsea resident permits from parking in them.

Visitor Bays

The extension of parking controls in visitor (pay-by-phone) bays on weekday evenings, weekend afternoons and evenings would make them less attractive to Olympia visitors, of whom would have to pay to park within them. The cost of an extended stay within a visitor bay would make them much less attractive.

What happens next?

Officers will carefully consider the results of the consultation, taking account of support across its geographical extent. It would not be practical to leave out a street in the middle of an area where controls are extended, nor would it be practical to change the hours of control in just one or two isolated streets. This will also avoid confusion for all drivers, whether they are Kensington and Chelsea permit holders, visitors to Kensington and Chelsea residences or businesses, or visitors to Olympia.

A full report of the results of the consultation will be presented to Councillors and senior officers. This will inform a decision on whether to proceed to a second, statutory consultation that would be required if the Council still wished to make changes to the current parking controls. Subject to the outcome of that statutory consultation, officers expect that new controls could be in place in early 2026.

If you require assistance in another language or a paper copy of the survey sent to you, please contact us on transportplanning@rbkc.gov.uk