The Notting Hill police station, which until 2017 served all of North Kensington and is situated less than a mile from the Grenfell Tower area, is about to be sold by MOPAC (the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime). However, the Kensington and Chelsea council has made a bid to buy the station, so it can be used by the community instead of being replaced by luxury housing.

The council's deputy leader, Kim Taylor-Smith, says:

“This building is a community asset and it should stay that way. The last thing I want is to see it sold to the highest bidder to develop expensive apartments that are snapped up by investors.

Our plans include much-needed local services. We want to offer adults with learning disabilities residential and respite care here, near their families. The area also needs more GP facilities, and we’re also keen to offer the police the opportunity to keep a home in Notting Hill on the site. All of these services could be housed in the former police station.”

Adults with learning disabilities who need specialist at-home care are often placed outside Kensington and Chelsea. If the council buys the station, it could provide space for up to 20 people to be cared for locally and near to their families.

The Kensington Society strongly supports efforts to retain the police station for community use and urges the Mayor of London to only sell it to bidders who will ensure that this happens.