Residents of North Kensington save 7 trees from being cut down in Athlone Gardens, 10 March 2021
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The magnificent cherry blossom and the pear tree photographed by Clare Slaney. These are two of seven trees in Athlone Gardens that Catalyst Housing and RBKC want to cut down any week now for phase 2B of the regeneration of the Wornington Green Estate. No attempt has been made to plan around 160 trees on the estate in what must be one of the most damaging environmental regeneration schemes ever implemented. This has to stop now. The 2010 masterplan is not fit for purpose and urgently needs resident and community input to ensure our well being and the environment is centre stage. We say yes to social housing, but no to luxury flats being built here that no one wants or can afford in North Kensington.
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The avocado tree at 6 Breakwell Court that is scheduled to be destroyed by Catalyst Housing.
Olivia who lived here for 40 years has asked for it to be saved and was turned down.
Join us in campaigning to save this and the 7 trees in Athlone Gardens.
Olivia who lived here for 40 years has asked for it to be saved and was turned down.
Join us in campaigning to save this and the 7 trees in Athlone Gardens.
Press Release for 05/03/21
Resident chains herself to gate and two arrested as North Kensington community tries to save 40 trees
On the 1st and 2nd March, Catalyst Housing and Heritage Services cut down 32 mature London plane trees as part of the regeneration of Wornington Green estate in North Kensington.
One resident chained herself to the perimeter gate of the estate and two others were arrested as residents took their daily exercise to protest the felling. This included children who were distraught by watching the trees come down after having put up art work in an attempt to save them.
Nick Burton, a survivor of the Grenfell Tower fire, attended the protest and said: “My wife is dead because of Grenfell and they still won’t listen.”
Catalyst ignored a 1700 strong petition and two unprecedented demands from RBKC Council asking them not to fell until they had consulted with residents. The last one was made days before the felling when Cll Thalaitses urged Catalyst to pause their regeneration and meet with residents. Catalyst refused to meet with residents.
This part of the borough is one of the most heavily polluted in London as it sits next to the Westway flyover. The life expectancy of its predominantly BAME residents is 10 years less than in South Kensington. And we live next to Grenfell Tower where the voice and health of residents was tragically ignored. Quote from Grace.
In the aftermath of this devastation, we counted that 33 trees had been cut down and not the 40 that Catalyst had said they were going to remove. We believe that 7 trees will be felled by Catalyst Housing in the nearby Athlone Gardens which is land owned by the Council. We have asked the council to stop Catalyst cutting down any more trees.
Residents have never been fully consulted over the removal of the trees that was based on a 2009 tree plan submitted with all planning applications.
We are campaigning with local residents to get Catalyst to:
1. Not proceed any further with the regeneration until they have set up an appropriate consultative group that reflects the residents and the wider area
2. Ensure that they work immediately with RBKC Council and the community to plant trees in the public domain to mitigate against the first 9 years of the regeneration when over 100 mature trees have been removed.
3. Revise their 2010 masterplan to reflect the reality of living in North Kensington, post Grenfell and Covid19 where a social housing programme must be balanced with environmental needs. We don't need luxury housing in North Kensington.
