A local architect Tom Young, has been looking at the implications of Camden’s plan for the rebuilding of West Kentish Town estate. This information is included in the report pack for the Cabinet meeting that signed off the proposals in July 2019.
The key findings are:
- the amount of open space will be reduced to 50% of what it is currently available
- only 41% of homes for affordable rent will have direct access to shared open space
Right to consultation:
Camden have been at pains to say that council tenants should have the right to determine the design of their new buildings. To this end a ‘residents’ brief’ has been developed. This brief will cover the design of the blocks of flats coloured in brown in the following plan. The buildings coloured purple will be developed according to property development standards for private flats for sale. People living around the estate rightly think that they should have a say in the design of these buildings, as they will be directly affected by them.
Existing open space:
At present residents of West Kentish Town estate have ??m2 of open space to use. These are within open courtyards overlooked by the existing blocks. These spaces are used in a variety of ways, including in summer a space for parties and paddling pools.
Proposed open space:
Access to private open space should be an objective of all new homes. In the current scheme only 138 out of the total of 335 affordable homes for rent have access to one of the enclosed courtyards.
West Kentish Town 