Overview of the programme
Notting Dale is one of only two neighbourhoods in London that has been selected as part of the Mayor of London’s Future Neighbourhoods (FN) 2030 programme to deliver a range of environmental pioneering projects and initiatives, alongside the development of a community-led environmental strategy.
The Council and the Mayor of London are funding work with residents to transform Notting Dale into an exemplar model of eco-neighbourhood that is greener, fairer and more climate resilient for all, by 2030.
Working with residents, local community organisations, residents’ associations, and a wide range of partners, we’re collaborating to deliver 42+ environmental initiatives as part of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the programme. These will bring benefits to the community in Notting Dale through: improved air quality, more energy efficient home, lower carbon emissions, improved access to nature, address barriers to active travel and create more green spaces and new green jobs for residents. They will also have co-benefits such as tackling social and health inequalities and cost of living crisis.
So far, the Council has been awarded £2,2 million from the Mayor of London Future Neighbourhoods 2030 funding and secured around £3,9 million from internal and external funding streams.
What is the Future Neighbourhoods programme?
As part of the Green New Deal mission activities, the Mayor of London launched in 2021 the Future Neighbourhoods (FN) 2030 programme to support a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and a fair and just transition to net zero.
The £7.7 million multi-year programme focuses on tackling some of London’s defining environmental challenges, including the climate emergency, toxic air quality and/or deficiency in access to nature and green spaces and boost the green economy. It also aims to create new green jobs, developing skills and supporting a just transition to a low carbon circular economy, whilst addressing social inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic and cost of living crisis.
The programme is funding strategies in 12 London neighbourhoods, and innovative projects in two neighbourhoods in London (Notting Dale in Kensington and Chelsea and Somers Town in Camden) that have been developed with the local community and will bring the benefits of transitioning to net zero to residents.
Future Neighbourhoods 2030 projects should help deliver the overarching objectives of the GLA’s Green New Deal mission. These are:
- Improve London’s natural environment, improve air quality and tackle the climate and ecological emergencies.
- Promote and incentivise activities that sustain and grow London’s green economy.
- Prioritise interventions reducing health inequalities and social injustices.
- Engage Londoners and businesses in their journey to become a zero pollution and greener city.
The Notting Dale FN2030 programme aligns with the objectives of the Green New Deal mission and presents an opportunity to scale up and replicate initiatives, share best practice and embed long-term climate work in Notting Dale responding to the five Future Neighbourhood themes:
- Retrofitting of homes, commercial and public buildings.
- Creating a decarbonised, smart and integrated energy system.
- Improving air quality and creating zero emission zones.
- Climate adapted, resilient, and green neighbourhoods.
- Zero waste, circular economy.
Why Notting Dale?
The Future Neighbourhoods are in some of London’s disadvantaged and climate vulnerable areas, or where residents are likely to have been severely impacted by the pandemic. This includes neighbourhoods which have a high exposure to deprivation, poor air quality, fuel poverty, lack of green space, the effects of extreme weather and temperature events, such as heat waves, cold spells, storms and flooding.
Notting Dale is a ward in North Kensington with a population of 8,547 people. It is the ward most impacted by the Grenfell tragedy, which resulted in 72 residents losing their lives, and hundreds more traumatised.
It is the second most deprived ward in RBKC, with 70% of homes being social housing.
Notting Dale ward lies in an area of high climate risk. The area is heavily exposed to climate change, making it vulnerable to extreme weather events. These impacts vary from physical consequences such as flooding or heatwaves, to social factors that affect society’s ability to cope with.
The ward is also affected by Critical Drainage Areas. The ward is covered by Critical Drainage Areas with issues of surface and sewer water flood risk which caused significant flooding in the area in summer 2021, affecting housing estates and the homes of more than 25 residents, school buildings like Avondale Park Primary School and local businesses in Notting Dale.
The area has a deficiency in access to nature and poor quality of biodiversity
The neighbourhood also lies within an area of deficiency in access to nature (GIGL) and surveys have found poor quality of habitat and biodiversity. Most homes in the ward are over a 1km walking distances from Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs). Traffic in main roads exacerbates poor air quality, alongside a lack of biodiversity that affects the area.