I was up at Wornington Green on Friday afternoon to tour Phase 1 of the new estate.
Although there have been complaints about construction noise and vehicle movements, which we are looking into, the buildings themselves all look very encouraging I thought. The new terrace of mixed private and social homes looks splendid. And, from the outside anyway, it was quite impossible to tell which was which.
As well as a new terrace of flats and maisonettes, Phase 1 also includes a row of new mews houses, again a mix of private and social and again, quite impossible to tell apart. I was lucky enough to look around one of them and I’ll admit to experiencing pangs of jealousy as it was all very cool and Simon Templar-ish.
I imagine that the tenants who have moved from the old estate into those new houses are thrilled and delighted. I do hope that’s the case.
So roll on Phases 2 and 3 I say. When it’s all finished, when the new homes and businesses are occupied and Athlone Gardens and the traditional street patterns have been restored, we may find that Wornington Green 2.0 has been transformative for this part of North Kensington.
We are certainly hoping so and following the scheme closely. One of the surest ways the Council has of doing something positive for the health and wellbeing of our residents is regeneration so we are paying attention to what has worked at Wornington and what hasn’t.
Nick notes 