Planning issues – three major challenges.
- Regis Road – the Camden Film Quarter
You all know about this major development on the industrial site opposite the tube station.
Plans are now at an advanced stage, with a planning application expected by the end of October.
The last round of public consultation events has just finished but you can still comment online at https://camdenfilmquarter.commonplace.is/ but only until 21 September.
Much about the plans is exciting, but it does raise some questions.
One is the sheer scale of the main Film Quarter building, consisting of stacked studios.
It rises to over 20 storeys and, as you can see, is bulky. We are assured it doesn’t interfere with any sightlines to the Heath, which some of you will remember was an issue with the failed Murphy’s application.
A concern about height and bulk is that, if planning permission is granted, it could set a precedent for huge buildings – and we understand that Murphys are about to start a new round of consultation for the adjacent site, north of the railway lines.
Some of you are also very concerned about the proposed relocation of the recycling centre. It is now clear that this, and the flats above it, would be an early part of the construction plan so that the residents of the flats about the Holmes Road depot can be rehoused and that site can be cleared. The existing recycling centre would remain open until the new one is constructed.
We also understand that no changes are proposed to the traffic arrangements for Holmes Road, and all site access will be from Regis Road.
The project includes the conversion of the listed Police Station building into a community resource.
2. Raglan Estate – new homes for small sites
Yesterday, some of us went to view the latest proposals for the garage site, followed by a meeting today with the development managers.
There are significant concerns from the site’s neighbours, who are not against it being used to provide new affordable and social housing, but are very concerned about late changes to the design plans which will result in a major loss of light and privacy.
We learned in today’s meeting that there may be minor amendments to the plan, but nothing substantial despite months, if not years, of feedback from residents at a much earlier design stage.
This what Camden sent out today, where you can see the proposals and comment:
“Thank you to everyone who attended our final drop-in event yesterday for the proposals to build new affordable homes at Raglan Street Estate.
If you missed the event you can view the content online here and share your feedback here until Wednesday 1 October 2025.
We look forward to receiving and reviewing your feedback.”
3. Demolition and 5-storey construction on the British Heart Foundation site
| 233 Kentish Town Road London NW5 2JT |
| Demolition of existing three storey commercial building (Class E), and erection of five storey plus basement building with residential at upper floors (Class C3) and retail at ground and basement floors (Class E) and associated worksApplication number: 2025/2219/P Application type: Full Planning PermissionView Application |
This is the building next to Morgans – currently the British Heart Foundation. It shows a big increase in height, and a green tiled frontage. There is a big problem with it in that the location plan shows it backing right up to what used to be Raglan House (a day centre) but is now residential homes. The developer seems unaware of this change. They would lose light, privacy and – alarmingly – endure digging for a basement up against their garden walls (which the proposal acknowledges is risky).
Unless anyone disagrees, we will object.
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These three projects are in addition to the huge planned developments of West Kentish Town and the prospect of another project for Murphys Yard.
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On a more uplifting note, we have also just been to a very lively and encouraging meeting of Kentish Town Connects. This is a gathering to coordinate the activities of many of the activist local groups in the area – like tenants and residents associations, GP surgeries’ social prescribing staff, schools, Brandon Family Centre, Kentish Town Road Action, Home Start, Castlehaven Community Association, Heath and Hamstead Society nature recovery corridor (our very own Prof Jeff Waage) and Transition Kentish Town.
We firstly heard a presentation from The Camden Film Quarter and there was a lot of detailed and vigorous feedback and ideas, some of which the CFQ say they had already built into the scheme
We also heard about many new initiatives in the area and made connections between the organisations. It really shows that Kentish Town is an extraordinary area – with so much activity and energy – and that there is a lot of new joined up thinking and action developing.
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The WhatsApp group continues to be the main form of community communication – very active – too active in some peoples’ view – and is now 249 strong.
The subgroups continue with for example an interesting meeting of the local history group recently.
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The Grafton pub has been taken over by new licensees who seem dynamic and community minded and have landed running with a full house from the start.
D&D
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Transition Town newsletter – see attached, with some great things happening, including this:
| Celebrate the Autumn Equinox with the TKT Nature Connections team, and Hampstead Heath ecologist, and climate and Nature activist, Jeff Waage, as we explore seasonal changes around Parliament Hill Fields and Hampstead Heath.Sunday 21st September 2025 10.30am – 12.30pm |
D&D
| Transition Kentish Town News and Events September 2025 “As Summer shifts to Autumn / And change is coming clear / We are dancing with the seasons / We are turning with the year”. |
| Welcome to Transition Kentish Town’s Autumn Newsletter. With news of TKT events you can join to celebrate the Autumn Equinox next weekend, and to prepare for a winter of cosier homes, lower energy bills and reduced carbon footprints with RetrofitKT. Find out how to get involved with NW5 Fruit Pickers, and help bring in this year’s bumper harvest of apples and pears on neglected local fruit trees. Share a big thank you to the watering and weeding teams who kept our TKT Community Gardens going through the summer droughts, and ways to make all of our gardens more sustainable and resilient – so they can continue to support local pollinators and lift local spirits in seasons to come. Plus an update on Kentish Town Connects and a reminder to comment on Camden’s Climate Action Plan. If you feel we’re facing a new wave of climate disinformation and fightback from fossil fuel industry vested interests and opportunistic politicians, you are not alone. All designed to defund the development of clean renewable energy generation. And to confuse and discourage practical climate action by individuals, governments and communities. See our final newsletter item for suggestions on ways to stay hopeful and engaged. And help with keeping in touch with positive news about all the carbon cutting / environmental repair action that’s happening both here and world wide. Read on to find out more about all of this. |
| Events |
| Transition Kentish Town Nature Connections Hampstead Heath Autumn Equinox Nature Ramble Sunday 21st September 2025 10.30am – 12.30pm |
| At a time of darker evenings and colder mornings; of migrating birds; seed saving and distribution; and winter residents preparing for the cold dark months ahead. Hear about ways to support both Nature and ourselves as global heating and climate breakdown disrupt the rhythms and continuity of Nature’s season. And enjoy connecting with Nature through poetry and nature writing readings from the TKT Nature Connections team. And in a simple gratitude ceremony, to thank the Heath’s trees for all they have shared with us over Spring and Summer, and wish them well as they prepare for Autumn’s great casting off of leaves. Free but please book via Eventbrite. The walk starts and ends at the Bandstand next to the Parliament Hill Fields Heath Cafe. Buses 88, 214 and C11 all stop close by on Highgate Road NW5. And the Gospel Oak Mildmay and Barking line Overground Station is just a short walk away on Gordon House Road NW5. Please arrive at 10.20am for the 10.30am start. Sturdy footwear and all weather clothing advised. If you need more information, contact Pomme Edwards at pje.climateaction@gmail.com. Kentish Town Veg Box Autumn Equinox Celebration Sunday 21st September 12.00 – 3.0pm Location: To be announced (stay tuned for updates) |
| Includes: • Apple Pressing: Bring along your apples (or help press ours!) and learn how to make fresh, delicious apple juice. • Mulled Apple Juice: Warm up with a selection of spiced, mulled apple drinks – perfect for welcoming the autumn chill. • Conker Tournament: Bring a conker and some string for our conker tournament. This event is open to all! Whether you’re bringing apples to press or just coming to enjoy the fun, we’d love to see you there. More Information: Further event details, including the location and schedule, will be shared soon. Keep an eye out for updates via email, social media or via the website: www.vegbox.org.uk/events/. |
| Retrofit Kentish Town AGM and Autumn planning session |
| Tuesday 23rd September 7.00 – 8.30pm at the Kentish Town Community Centre |
| The meeting is open to members and non-members: everyone is welcome so please come along to find out more about retrofitting your home. RetrofitKT invite you to join them to review progress so far and help plan the RKT Autumn programme. And to meet Amy Lightfoot, who will be planning further community engagement. Retrofit is a great way to adapt our homes to the effects of climate change and help reduce the causes of climate change – whilst at the same time reducing our energy bills and helping the transition to a fairer green economy. By working together on retrofit, our community can be effective in tackling these challenges. You can find out more at RKT’s website: retrofitkentishtown.org. Please join up as a member here. The £5 membership fee will help support our work. |
| TKT News and Opportunities to get Involved NW5 Fruit Pickers is busy harvesting fruit from trees in local streets and gardens around our area. So that Nature’s abundance is not wasted and the harvest is shared more fairly. It’s a great way to come together to reduce waste and cut carbon and food miles by harvesting, sharing and enjoying our local fruit harvests. Crisp and juicy apples and pears just now, after the purple and golden plums earlier in the summer. |
| Want to get involved? This is a fun, worthwhile and sociable project, where more pickers / harvesters and distributors are always welcome. Picks are led by experienced fruit harvesters with no tree climbing required! Sign up and bring your friends & family. To find out more and get involved contact NW5fruitpickers@gmail.com |
| TKT Community Gardens |
| Want to learn more and get involved? Please contact Ian Grant at grantian756@gmail.com. |
| Kentish Town Civic Action Arts Lab and Community Events Hub Remember when 2 Prince of Wales Road NW5 was a Community Law Centre (and before that one of Kentish Town’s lost cinemas?) |
| Kentish Town Connects hosts themed local walks, meetings and events to bring groups together. It also offers an events and meetings space at the new community arts hub at 2 Prince of Wales Road. And over the summer it secured a £5K budget to support shared local climate action initiatives around Kentish Town, and to increase engagement in climate action and community inclusion action in our local communities. TKT has joined the KTC network, along with many other local groups, and looks forward to helping shape and support the action. Contact to learn more and get involved: kentishtownconnects@camden.gov.uk. AND Don’t miss out on your chance to comment on the Draft Camden Climate Action Plan – closing date for comments – 23rd September. Give your views at: Camden Climate Action Plan 2026 -2030 – We Are Camden – Citizen Space. It’s important that we support Camden in keeping its climate action promises, and in telling them where they need to be bolder in safeguarding the future of our local communities. |
| And finally – a few ideas for Staying Positive in Dark Times Sometimes it can feel like its not only the season that’s getting darker. Mainstream news suddenly seems full of stories about the push back by vested interests and political idealogues against the positive industry scale progress we were starting to see on reducing climate and environmental breakdown. Before this, we knew times were tough, but we could see progress and feel hope. And it’s important not to let go of that, because so much good progress continues to be made. So here are a few suggestions on ways to stay connected with community and climate activism. Find your own climate and community action niche – anything from signing online petitions and writing to your local Council and Government to support them in keeping to their carbon cutting promises; or supporting the growth of a fairer shares ‘doughnut economy’, by swapping and sharing more and shopping less; reducing carbon emissions by retrofitting your home or supporting community energy installation project – or just putting on a sweater instead of turning on the heat! Or by helping care for a local community garden and getting closer to Nature with our Nature Connections project. And by continuing to enjoy a plant based diet despite the mainstream media now telling us is no longer fashionable! These may seem like drops in the ocean, but they all add up – and together, we are the river that brings change sweeping in. Or you could enjoy the sociability and skills sharing of joining, or volunteering with, a local climate action project, like Power Up North London, Kentish Town Veg Box or TKT Retrofit. Fed up with bad news but want to stay informed? Boost your wellbeing and get help staying active and engaged by subscribing to the free weekly e-newsletter from ‘Positive News’, “the magazine for good journalism, about the good things that are happening”. It arrives every Saturday with stories of social and environmental progress; quality, independent reporting with a focus on solutions. You can also pay to receive a digital quarterly magazine, with a additional carbon neutral print version option. Positive News is a co-operative owned by 1,500 reader investors worldwide and any profits are reinvested in their journalism and mission. They rely on their supporters, not advertisers or a wealthy proprietor. And they aim to lead by example in creating a more balanced, responsible media. Check it out at Positive News magazine. Join The Guardian Newspaper’s Climate Assembly on Tuesday 16th September. More details -> We’ll be back later in the Autumn with more TKT news of local events and climate and community projects you can get involved in right here in Kentish Town. |