Councillors from Kensington and Chelsea, as well as community campaigners and family members, came together to open Kelso Cochrane House. This was the 65th anniversary of Kelso Cochrane’s murder. The property is in North Kensington. We want to have a closer look at it today, then if you need help with block management in Kensington and Chelsea, you can speak to us.
Kelso Cochrane House is one of the council’s New Homes Programme sites. This is providing 600 new homes over the borough, with 300 being for council tenants at social rent.
Celebrating the opening
At the opening, there were several speeches, alongside a bench unveiling in Kelso’s memory. His niece Millie Christian unveiled it. Cllr Sof McVeigh, Lead Member of New Homes aided her. Not to mention, there was a performance of ‘Since Kelso Cochrane Died’ by local calypso singer Alexander D Great.
Kelso Cochrane House supplies 38 new homes. In total, 28 of them are for council tenants, with the remaining 10 for key workers. These council houses are the first to be erected in the borough for decades. This award-winning development was named in Kelso Cochrane’s memory. He lost his life in Notting Hill in 1959.
Millie said that the family were very grateful that the tragedy is getting recognition. They were thankful to the council for approaching them to name the property in honour of his memory. This way Kelso would be remembered as part of the North Kensington community. Their hope is that each time someone enters and leaves the building, it will remind the community that everyone is equal within the law.
The council’s plan
These new properties also deliver on a Council Plan to create a fairer, safer, greener borough. Also, they show the council’s commitment to build more affordable housing following Grenfell.
The properties are energy efficient too. There is a heating system that is cheaper than standard heating and better for the environment. Furthermore, they have double-glazed windows and doors to retain heat, and well insulated walls.
The homes also ensure fire safety. There are sprinklers alongside a fire alarm system. In addition, there are automatically opening vents in communal areas that release smoke. If you need the top services for block management Kensington and Chelsea has, contact us.
Cllr McVeigh said that it is completely fitting and right that Kelso’s name is attached to the new properties. She was also happy that Kelso’s family were present to remember him. She said that since the pandemic, it has proven to be very challenging to build new homes. Like with other developers and councillors, they’ve had to adapt their programme to tackle the obstacle of rising costs. Despite this, they remain committed to addressing the desperate demand for properties in the borough. She also wants the new residents of Kelso Cochrane House to be content in their homes.
Apart from the development offering homes to locals, there will be a new supermarket opening its doors too. Even better, there will be an NHS centre supplying easier access to health services.
The government’s long-term plan
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Housing and Faith, Baroness Scott, had a statement as well. She said this was a wonderful example of the government’s long-term intention for housing giving councils the chance to invest in the future of their communities. She was happy to see how their programme has allowed the council to place affordable homes at the centre of its offering to locals.
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