Stakeholder Engagement Report

Join our forthcoming webinar on the 10 December to hear from placemaking consultants, Allies & Morrison about their findings.

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Southth Kensington is one of the most well-known places in London, with over 20m visitors per year, 10,000 people who work here, 20,000 or so students and around 40,000 residents.  This place has to meet a lot of different needs – all of which are now under threat from a rapidly changing climate. 

The GLA’s Climate Resilience Review has made it very clear that London is facing significant challenges as a result of climate change, including excess heat, drought, storms, surface water flooding, wildfires and subsidence.   

Increasing our neighbourhood’s resilience to these threats is critical, and any successful interventions will require a collective approach that is built on trust and consensus. 

Testing the ground 

In Spring/Summer 2024, we commissioned Placemaking Consultancy, Allies & Morrison, to conduct an extensive stakeholder engagement exercise in South Kensington. We wanted to reach people with a long-term vested interest in the neighbourhood and hear their views on how to make the area greener, more biodiverse and more climate-resilient.   

The aim of this work was to build a more nuanced and holistic understanding of the neighbourhood through the eyes of the people who live, work and study here. It is intended to be a starting point from which to explore neighbourhood priorities and lead to new collaborations for the long-term stewardship of this internationally renowned cultural district in the face of a rapidly changing climate. 

Methodology  

Through a range of engagement activities, we were able to reach about 20,000 people locally, with a real focus on those living, working or studying in South Kensington.  Our methods included:

• online content
• a market stall in the street
• an online survey
• on-street discussions
• a leaflet-drop
• a 2-day stand at the Great Exhibition Road Festival
• online discussion sessions
• interviews
• walking tours
• an in-person ‘walkshop’

Findings: 

• 97% of respondents to the online survey are concerned about the loss of nature and wildlife, and about the threats of climate change.   
• 92% of respondents felt Local Governments have responsibility to take action on climate change and biodiversity loss.  
• 77% thought the Exhibition Road Cultural Group institutions also have a responsibility to take action.

The priorities that emerged were: 

Along with the six themes above, a total of 38 project ideas were suggested by stakeholders.

These ideas offer a cohesive, community-backed launch-pad from which to explore collaborations which can, bit by bit, help us to transform South Kensington into a greener, safer and more climate-resilient neighbourhood. 

The full report and appendices can be downloaded below:

• Stakeholder_engagement_executive_summary.pdf

• Stakeholder_engagement_full_report.pdf

• Stakeholder_engagement_report_and_appendices.pdf