Kensington and Chelsea Community Infrastructure Levy Referendum: Effects for Notting Hill Households

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea will place a referendum on the ballot in September 2026 asking voters to approve changes to the Community Infrastructure Levy rates applied to new building projects. The measure directly affects Notting Hill residents through potential shifts in how developer contributions support local services rather than wider borough priorities.

National planning reforms introduced in 2025 altered how local authorities can set levy rates, prompting the borough to seek resident approval before finalising adjustments. Council documents show the current levy has generated payments tied to residential and commercial approvals since its last review in 2022.

Projected Allocation Changes

Policy analysts note that approved projects in Notting Hill, such as those near Portobello Road, would see a higher share of contributions directed toward affordable housing units and bus priority measures on the Westway corridor. Local advocates note that this could reduce pressure on existing social housing waiting lists, which currently stand at several thousand households across the borough.

Residents in streets such as Ladbroke Grove and Golborne Road would see any new levy revenue applied first to pedestrian improvements and cycle routes serving the area, according to the draft referendum materials. The government says the policy will maintain the same overall levy ceiling while changing the split between neighbourhood and strategic pots.

Evidence from Borough Records

The borough's 2025 financial statement recorded £4.8 million collected through the existing levy, with £1.2 million already committed to Notting Hill area schemes. What happens next depends on the September vote outcome, after which the council must publish updated rate tables within 90 days if the measure passes.