Kensington and Chelsea Council is set to reassess the Lancaster West refurbishment project following feedback from residents expressing concerns about disruption, communication, and the overall scope of the works. Residents also voiced concerns about the impact of the refurbishment on property saleability.
The decision comes after a Housing & Communities Select Committee meeting on 12 May 2025, where residents shared their experiences of the refurbishment project. A report summarising this feedback was reviewed by the committee on 2 July 2025, leading to draft recommendations for the Lead Member for Housing.
The draft recommendations include:
- Reassessing the project in light of resident feedback, including the scope, extensiveness, costs and impacts on residents, and identifying options for how these concerns can be addressed.
- Working with residents to confirm the changes that need to take place; the timeframe for delivering these; and the priorities in any restructured plan including the funding available.
- Reviewing the communications plan to ensure residents receive timely and relevant information, including asking residents the communications they find the most useful, content, the best means of delivery and frequency. The review should ensure timelines and any changes to timelines of works and funding are communicated to residents, across the estate including on a micro level where only certain blocks or flats are affected.
- Setting up an independent/external assessment of the quality of works, monitoring and rectification works to see what improvements could be made.
- Meeting with leaseholders to discuss how best to communicate clearly the timeline of the works and the specific costs to leaseholders. This should include how the Council can help address their concerns around costs, and the impacts of the works on saleability of their property.
- Compensating all Lancaster West residents due to the scale of the disruption of the years of work – and the cumulative impact of this in the context of the national disaster that occurred on this estate, and to communicate clearly how much this will be and how residents can get their compensation. Identifying if all residents and leaseholders qualify for compensation.
- Considering further measures to prioritize the health and wellbeing of the residents throughout the remaining stages of the major works, specifically addressing the issues raised in feedback.
The Lancaster West Estate, consisting of 826 homes, has been undergoing refurbishment as part of a commitment made by the council and national government to create a model 21st-century estate
. However, residents have voiced concerns about the length of the project, the level of disruption, and a perceived lack of transparency regarding timelines and costs.
One of the key issues raised was the £86 million funding shortfall for the project. The committee requested a historical timeline about the financial shortfall and estimated costs, which was provided, showing that the initial cost estimate was £118 million in 2018, against only £30 million of funding. By 2024, the forecast cost of commitments had risen to £244 million, while the budget available was £159 million.
At the 2 July meeting, councillors discussed the Housing and Social Investment Key Performance Information report, which provided annual performance updates for 2024-2025. Councillor Linda Wade said there was not enough detail here in the text
of the report, and that charts needed better explanation.
The Housing & Communities Select Committee will present its report and recommendations to the Lead Member for Housing for a response. The committee's next ordinary meeting is scheduled for 16 September 2025.