British Land, owners of the Paddington Central estate, have changed their plans for a 21-storey building visible from Hyde Park, at their 5 Kingdom Street site next to the flyover. https://fivekingdomstreetconsultation.com/exhibitions/a-new-approach-to-five-kingdom-street/
Instead they intend to revert to a previously granted planning consent for a 13-storey office building, without the orange colouring objected to by some residents. At the train track level, where there is a space previously used for construction of the Elizabeth Line, they plan to create a hub where hauliers could switch their loads to small electric vehicles and cargo bicycles.
Although lorries would still need to come down Harrow Road, they would avoid our area in this scenario. Instead, low emissions vehicles would enter along Westbourne Terrace to make local deliveries. This requires a transfer, which would seem likely to increase costs for the operators, but there would be a net reduction in air pollution and possibly in congestion, compared to the present use of multiple diesel vans arriving at homes from London fringe distribution centres. The approach is very much what the previous administration at Westminster City Council was promoting.
More information is available here: https://fivekingdomstreetconsultation.com/exhibitions/the-need-for-an-urban-logistics-hub/
The consultation period has now closed but you can write to British Land’s agents here: https://fivekingdomstreetconsultation.com/exhibitions/share-your-views/
