Residents vote ‘Yes’ to estate redevelopment
Plans for West Kentish Town Estate are set to go ahead as an overwhelming 93% of voting residents vote in favour of new homes, streets and open spaces.
The ballot - which is the first of its kind in Camden - gave residents the opportunity to vote online, by post, over the phone or at a polling station in Queen’s Crescent Library.
An amazing 84.9% of eligible residents turned out to have their say, with the overwhelming majority putting their trust in the Council to deliver a brand new estate built to tackle local issues such as overcrowding, fuel poverty and community safety.
The ballot follows more than two years of extensive engagement. To capture the breadth of local voices, Council officers based on the estate established a strong community presence, offering friendly spaces where residents could share their ideas at drop-ins, coffee mornings, workshops and exhibitions, helping to draw up a “residents’ brief”. This sets out local expectations for new homes and streets, with a list of key design priorities from the people who know their community best, residents themselves.
The estate proposals developed in collaboration with residents seek to demolish the aging 1960s blocks - replacing damp, cramped properties with over 800 larger, modern and more energy efficient homes, each with the space needed for previously overcrowded families to grow and thrive.
The new estate will be the latest expansion of the Community Investment Programme, which to date has helped 568 Camden residents out of overcrowded accommodation, including 334 under the age of 19. It has also delivered some of the most energy efficient homes in the UK, helping tenants cut their fuel bills and carbon emissions.
“We know that good development hinges on a genuine understanding of our communities. That’s why we’ve always worked hard to involve local people in every aspect of Community Investment Programme proposals, giving them the space to tell us what their community needs, ensuring they are always our focus from design to delivery.
“We’ve been clear from day one – we will only move forward if estate residents vote yes and support these proposals. It’s fantastic to see estate residents vote yes overwhelmingly – with one of the highest turnouts and ‘yes’ votes in London so far.
“The area has so many families and children who desperately need new homes, so it’s exciting to now be able to take a big step forward, towards the delivery of vital new council homes. I look forward to working together as we go forward so that we deliver a project that more than meets their expectations.”
Now residents have voted ‘Yes’, architects will be appointed to start drawing up illustrative designs for the new estate. Residents will continue to be involved and engaged throughout this process, helping to shape their future homes and estate. To read more about the West Kentish Town proposals visit camden.gov.uk/wkt