Council seeks to secure Trellick's future through new development
Whether land at the foot of Trellick Tower could be developed in order to help meet the cost of maintaining the iconic building will be one of the key issues explored in a study just commissioned by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
The Council is engaging architectural and specialist historic building consultants to advise on the development potential of Council-owned land which forms part of Erno Goldfinger's original overall design. There are two sites:
The first fronts onto nearby Elkstone Road. Formerly occupied by an elderly people's home and day centre, the site has been vacant since 2008 and is currently in temporary use as a coach park.
The other site lies to the south and immediately below the Tower. It includes playspace, parts of the pedestrian walkways, stairs and basement car park/storage area, plus the ground floor of Trellick itself, which is currently in social use.
The consultants' brief is to come up with options for the redevelopment of the sites, including proposals for the layout and height of buildings, ideas for making best use of open space and plans for improving routes for vehicles and pedestrians. Key to the project will be how the character, appearance and setting of Trellick Tower are to be preserved and enhanced.
Trellick is Grade II listed, placing it in the top eight per cent of listed buildings in the country*. Now in its 40th year, It needs considerable capital investment to maintain it in good order.
Commenting on the study, Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, Cllr Timothy Coleridge, said:
"We need new homes, new facilities and new economic activity in this part of the borough. But while we plan those, it must make sense to see if in some way development can also help resolve some of the financial challenges of maintaining Trellick Tower for the next 40 years."
As part of the study, the consultants will be involving local residents in discussions about the development of the sites, sharing with them the options as they emerge.
Source: Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea