Newcombe House

New proposals are currently being prepared for the regeneration of the Newcombe House site following its acquisition earlier this year by joint partners Beltane and Angelo Gordon.

Where is Newcombe House and what are its boundaries?

As can be seen in the location map, the site is roughly rectangular in shape and bounded by Notting Hill Gate to the north, Kensington Church Street to the east, Kensington Place to the south and the District and Circle Underground line and its associated electricity substation to the west.

The site currently comprises a series of buildings plus a 12-storey tower, Newcombe House. The buildings have an outdated 1960s town centre design and have become degraded over time.

Newcombe House itself contains offices which are now no longer occupied by tenants. Some ground floor shops remain including Waterstones on Notting Hill Gate and a few more along Kensington Church Street. The building on the corner of Kensington Church Street and Kensington Place (known as Royston Court) comprises 20 vacant residential units previously used as bedsit accommodation for rough sleepers.

The site ownership also includes the top end of Uxbridge Street along with a large surface car park to the rear which runs alongside the underground line.

Recognised by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea as an eyesore and key to the wider regeneration of Notting Hill Gate, the site suffers from poor pedestrian connections, inadequate access for people with disabilities and unattractive public realm. The ground floor spaces under Newcombe House are known to attract anti-social behaviour.

More positively, its location adjacent to Notting Hill Gate London Underground Station and nearby multiple bus routes, means that the site has an excellent public transport accessibility level (PTAL 6b - the highest possible level).

What is the current planning status of the site?

The site benefits from a valid planning permission which was obtained by the previous owners in June 2020 following a public inquiry and a decision by the Secretary of State. Beltane and Angelo Gordon were not involved in any of the planning applications concerned.

You can see the computer-generated images of what is currently approved at the site by clicking on the images.

In summary, the extant planning permission allows for:

• The demolition of all the buildings at the site;
• The creation of six new buildings including a tower of up to 18 storeys on the corner of Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street with the remaining buildings ranging in height from 3, 4, 5 and 7 storeys;
• 55 new residential apartments;
• Office and retail space;
• Provision for a new health centre; and
• A public square with level access from Notting Hill Gate.