July 2021 flooding event
Flooding event on 12 July 2021
The flooding event of 12 July 2021 displaced many of our residents and affected local businesses. The impacts are still being felt in those affected communities as residents and businesses continue to carry out repairs in their recovery from the flooding.
Council’s Flood Investigation
The Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, has been investigating the flooding as required by Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act (2010).
As part of the investigation, the Council collected over 220 detailed questionnaires from residents affected by flooding. Council officers also undertook site visits to the worst affected areas and met with residents to see the impact of the flooding first-hand. This information, as well as that gathered internally and from other organisations, enabled the true impact of the flooding to be understood. The Council would like to thank those who provided evidence to the investigation.
There were reports of flooding on 76 streets, where over 500 properties were flooded. Holland Park, Notting Hill Gate and Sloane Square stations were closed, and there was also flooding on the A4, A40, and A3220. The Council had flooding of its commercial and operational estate, including North Kensington and Kensington Central libraries, St Marks Care Leavers Centre, three primary schools and Baseline Studios in the Lancaster West Estate.
Flood Investigation Report
The report describes the rainfall event that led to the flooding and the response of a range of organisations. There are several recommendations set out in the Flood Investigation Report for either the Council, Thames Water, other London Boroughs. There is also supplementary information and recommendations for the wider community and individual residents themselves.
Most recommendations for the Council are already underway. Progress against the recommendations will be reviewed in 6 months.
Map of flooded streets
A map highlighting the roads where the Council understands properties were affected is shown below. While this does not mean that all properties on each road were affected, it shows the spread of the flooding across the Borough. The map should not be used to indicate individual property flooding.
- List of flooded streets
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List of flooded streets during the 12 July 2021 event.
- Addison Road
- Allen Street
- Ansleigh Place
- Arundel Gardens
- Barandon Walk
- Beckford Close
- Blenheim Crescent
- Bramley Road
- Brewster Gardens
- Camelford Court
- Camelford Walk
- Clarendon Road
- Colville Road
- Colville Square
- Colville Terrace
- Cope Place
- Cornwall Crescent
- Darnley Terrace
- Edwardes Square
- Elgin Crescent
- Ellis Street
- Elsham Road
- Holland Park
- Holland Park Avenue
- Holland Park Gardens
- Holland Park Road
- Holland Road
- Holland Villas Road
- Kensington Park Road
- Kenway Road
- Ladbroke Grove
- Lancaster Road
- Latimer Road
- Ledbury Road
- Lonsdale Road
- Lorne Gardens
- Lower Clarendon Walk
- Melbury Road
- Napier Place
- Napier Road
- Norland Road
- Norland Square
- Notting Hill Gate
- Pembroke Gardens
- Pembroke Road
- Pembroke Square
- Phillimore Walk
- Pimlico Road
- Portobello Road
- Princedale Road
- Princes Place
- Queensdale Road
- Radley Mews
- Rosmead Road
- Royal Crescent
- Russell Gardens
- Russell Road
- Scarsdale Villas
- Sloane Square
- St Anns Road
- St Anns Villas
- St James's Gardens
- St Marks Close
- St Marks Road
- St Quintin Gardens
Stafford Terrace
Stanford Road
Stoneleigh Place
Stoneleigh Street
Testerton Walk
Upper Addison Gardens
Warwick Gardens
Warwick Road
West Eaton Place
Westbourne Park Road
Young Street
Council Scrutiny
Shortly after the flooding occurred, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, wrote to Thames Water and the industry regulator, Ofwat, to highlight the plight of residents and request an urgent meeting.
An extraordinary meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) was held on 11 October 2021. Following this meeting, the Chair of the OSC has set out the conclusions and recommendations of the committee members in a letter to Thames Water on 20 October 2021.
In June 2022, a Flood Risk Management Working Group was formed by Councillors from the Environment Select Committee. The working group gathered evidence from residents and organisations over a number of evidence sessions. The working group has reported on its recommendations to the Environment Select Committee. The recommendations have been agreed by the Lead Member and adopted into the revised Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.
Thames Water
Thames Water completed an internal review of the July 2021 flooding in Autumn 2021. In addition, Thames Water commissioned an independent review into the causes and response to the flooding, which published its final report in July 2022.
Thames Water has been undertaking a programme of surveying properties and installing measures to protect those at highest risk from future flooding. For more information, see the dedicated London Flood Response page on the Thames Water website.
