The long running development of the Porchester Road Baptist Church has been granted planning permission by Westminster Council. Councillor Brian Connell, who spoke at the planning meeting said: "We've worked to represent the views of residents consistently, understanding that a development of the existing church was needed that was in keeping with the local area. We successfully opposed the original proposals a few years ago and the new development is a vast improvement that residents can know they have helped to shape."
Residents had reservations about the newly proposed building around noise and scale, which were acknowledged by the planning committee. Conditions were proposed to contain the plant noise and for the top of the building to be a darker shade of stone, to better blend in with the surrounding area. A sample of the brick colour brought to the meeting showed that it would not be like the yellow Collonades colour.
The new development by the Dolphin Square Foundation will provide 32 intermediate affordable flats, a new Baptist Church, Community Hall and a Children's Library.
