Marlborough Gate

Kensington Gardens

An exciting client partnership was created to replace expired essential facilities for visitors to the park, and to enable London Underground Ltd to deliver the Connect Communication Project, whose remit was to provide communication between train drivers, stations and emergency services.

Location: London
Status: Planning permission and listed building consent granted
Size: Pavilion, accommodating a caf? / restaurant and new modern WC
facilities 510 sq m (5,500 sq ft) new storage facilities for the Royal
Parks and transformer room 140 sq m (1,500 sq ft)
Scale: Site

In developing our strategy, we needed to consider a number of site constraints, including a Grade II* listed structure, several protected trees, and a range of services running through the site.

As the site was classed as Metropolitan Open Land, there was a policy presumption against inappropriate development. In response, we demonstrated that the new pavilion would improve visitor facilities, enhance the setting of the listed structure and improve safety on the underground.

We led the comprehensive pre-application consultation, including briefings at ministerial level, CABE, English Heritage, the GLA, councillors, local resident associations and a public exhibition.

Working as a key member of a professional team including architects, engineers, ecologists, landscape architects, we prepared, submitted and negotiated the detailed application package including a planning statement and urban design analysis.

No objections to the application were received, and the design and our approach were commended by Westminster City Council and the Mayor of London.

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