The Society’s 2026 Christmas Party will be held at Auriens, 2 Dovehouse Street, at 6-8pm, by kind permission of the Directors and residents.

Tickets @ £40 are available from the Box Office of the Cadogan Hall, 3 Sloane Terrace, London, SW1X 9DQ in person, or by phone 0207-730-4500.   NB. The meeting is at Auriens, not at the Cadogan Hall, and will start promptly at 6pm.

Tickets are also available online via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-chelsea-society-christmas-party-tickets-2000415878743?aff=oddtdtcreator

Chelsea Society events are for our members, and when booking tickets members should use the name in which they are known to the Society (if in doubt please check with the Secretary).

Members may also bring guests.

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The Chelsea Society has been in discussion with Cadogan since June 2026 concerning their proposal to redevelop Queripel House, on Duke of York Square, which has a rear elevation on Cheltenham Terrace. The Society was represented by James Thompson, Chairman; Michael Stephen, Vice-chairman; Sir Paul Lever, Planning Committee Chairman; and Jules Turner and Marina Murray, Planning Committee Members. We have worked closely with the Whitelands House, and Cheltenham Terrace, Residents Associations.

Cadogan intend to submit a planning application at the end of August 2026 and the situation as at 24th August is as follows:

1. The footprint of the proposed new build in the SW corner will be reduced by 33.5%.
2. The frontage to Cheltenham Terrace has a brick pier which will delineate between the existing elevation and new extension, and no step back of the now shorter section of the new frontage is proposed.
3. The Soane arches will be continued into the new-build.
4. There will be no vehicular, pedestrian, or cycle access to Cheltenham Terrace.
5. There will be no permanent cranes on site.
6. Construction traffic will not use Cheltenham Terrace, Kings Road, or Walpole St., and those roads will not be closed.
7. The appearance of the existing and new windows will be improved, by introducing glazing bars to all sash windows similar to those on the central section of the front elevation.
8. An acoustic enclosure will be provided for the air-conditioning plant on the roof.
9. The existing garbage bins will be housed internally therefore mitigating noise impact. No additional bins will be kept outside of the bin store.
10. The top floor will not be set back from the Cheltenham Terrace frontage, but the windows overlooking Whitelands House and 1-3 Cheltenham Terrace, will be partially obscured, so as to admit natural light but to offer privacy to local residents and the occupiers of the top floor.
11. Cadogan intend to allow retail use on the ground floor and offices on the first and second floors. They have no intention to use the top floor as a restaurant, but are not willing to make a binding commitment. They would in any event need to apply for a licence for any such use.
12. Access will not be allowed through the top floor windows except for maintenance purposes.
13. The large tree in the SW corner will not be removed, though some pruning may be necessary.
14. During construction, the building will have an acoustically lined wrap, and building works will be done in accordance with RBKC code of construction practice. Dust and vibration control measures will be installed on site.
15. Anticipated daily construction hours 8am-6pm weekdays. High impact works 9am-12pm and 2pm-5.30pm only
16. The building is named after Captain Lionel Ernest Queripel, who was awarded a posthumous VC for his outstanding bravery at Arnhem. There is a memorial to him internally, and a plaque will be placed on the exterior of the building.

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We have now received a letter from Cllr. Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of RBKC clarifying the Council’s planning policies relating to Chelsea Reach and Cadogan Pier

Click here to read   Letter from Cllr Campbell 29.7.26

The Chelsea Society has been working for nearly ten years to preserve the amenities of Chelsea’s riverside at Chelsea Reach and Cadogan Pier.

Along the River Thames and other rivers and canals people have made their homes on boats. Some people own their boat and others rent it from someone else.

All these boat owners are vulnerable because, if they rent the boat their tenancy may be terminated, and even if they own the boat it may be evicted from its mooring.

Although the boats are their homes, these people do not enjoy any protection from eviction or harassment as do tenants who occupy a house or a flat on land.

The Chelsea Society tried to close this loophole in the law, and proposed the following amendment to the Renters (Reform) Bill which has just received Royal Assent.

“That Clause 64 of the Renters (Reform) Bill be amended as follows:

64. Meaning of “the 1988 Act”

(1) In this Act “the 1988 Act” means the Housing Act 1988.

(2) The definition of “dwellinghouse” in section 45(1) of the 1988 Act shall include a boat used as a dwelling, and the berth where such boat is moored.

(3) References in the said section to a tenancy shall include a licence to occupy such boat and/or berth, and references to a tenant shall include a person occupying such boat and/or berth by virtue of a licence from the person having control of such boat and/or berth.  References to rent shall include a licence fee.”

This amendment was proposed to the Conservative government before the 2024 General Election, and was again proposed to the Labour government after the election.  Unfortunately neither of them acted upon it, and people who live on boats are still vulnerable.

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The AGM of The Chelsea Society will be held in the Great Hall at Chelsea Old Town Hall on Monday 16th November 2026 at 6pm ..

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The Chelsea Society was represented by its Chairman and Vice-chairman at the memorial service for Dr. Paul Knapman at St. Bride’s Fleet St. on 9th July 2026.

Dr. Knapman was a long-standing and distinguished member of the Society who died on 5^th April 2026. We send our condolences to his widow, Penny, also a member of the Society.

After Epsom college, he studied medicine at St George’s Hospital, qualifying as a doctor before deciding to pursue a career in forensic medicine and the law. He was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn, and in 1980 succeeded Gavin Thurston as HM Coroner for Westminster. He served until his retirement in 2011, having presided over many thousands of inquests into deaths arising from natural causes, accidents, and self-harm. He heard numerous cases that attracted intense national and international attention, including those connected with the Iranian Embassy siege of 1980, and the shooting of WPC Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan Embassy in 1984.

He also held inquests arising from major acts of terrorism, including IRA bombings in London and, most notably, the 7 July 2005 attacks, when he served as the “incident coroner” for the multiple coordinated bombings that killed 56 people. His calm authority and organisational clarity were widely credited with helping families, officials and institutions navigate an unprecedented tragedy.

Transport disasters also fell within his jurisdiction, including the Clapham Junction rail crash, the Marchioness riverboat disaster, and later the Ladbroke Grove crash, each involving complex legal, technical and emotional challenges.  He also held many high-profile inquests on public figures from politics, the arts and international society.

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The Chelsea Society’s Art prize 2026 has been awarded to John Killens for his view of St. Luke’s from Dovehouse Green

This painting was exhibited at the Chelsea Arts Society’s summer exhibition.

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A group of members visited the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Friday 24th July 2026 to discover the history and stories of the Royal Hospital. We explored some of the most important historic buildings in London and gained an insider’s perspective  of what life is like as part of this unique community.  The guided tour was led by a Chelsea Pensioner  The tour began at the Grade II listed Soane Stable Yard and included College Court, the original site of the Chelsea Theological College built by King James I, The Heritage Berth designed by Sir Christopher Wren where in-pensioners were first accommodated, The Great Hall where in-pensioners  have their meals, the Wren Chapel, Figure Court where the Annual Founder’s Day parade is held, and the golden statue of King Charles II.

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The Gaumont is an impressive development by Cadogan. It is currently being fitted out and is expected to be opened in Q4 this year by Curzon cinemas.

The main spaces at Curzon Chelsea will include:

The Main Stage – a 300-seat auditorium with Dolby Atmos sound and 4K projection, designed for premieres, screenings and large-scale events.

The Atrium – a central, flexible space for gatherings, receptions and live programming, with capacity for up to 300 guests.

Studio A – a highly adaptable studio supporting podcasts, writersʼ rooms, workshops and experimental screenings.

Studio B – a flexible screening and event space for up to 60 guests.

The Pod – a dedicated, fully equipped audio and video recording studio.

The Gallery – a bar, café and creative social space designed for informal working, meetings and day-to-day use

Curzon chairman and CEO Philip Knatchbull announced on 15th May 2026 “Curzon Chelsea reflects a rethinking of the role that Curzon holds at the cutting edge of the industry by creating a multi-purpose environment for the wider creative community. Our flagship location will span film, art, storytelling, content creation, podcasting, live performance and conversation-led events. In this sense, Curzon Chelsea brings together everything we have been envisioning for the future of Curzon and creative culture generally.  Curzon Chelsea will operate as an all-day destination, maximising the use of the flagship location. Screening rooms, studios, production facilities, a restaurant and bar, and flexible event spaces will operate concurrently within a single, interconnected site, enabling people to meet, collaborate and develop in real time.”

The building was named after Leon Gaumont, a French engineer who was one of the originators of cinematography.

Another was William Friese-Greene (1851-1921) whose basement workshop and studio was at 196 Kings Road (where the Gaumont now stands) and whose life is celebrated in the 1951 film “The Magic Box.” Starring Robert Donat.  Perhaps they will show the film on opening day!

Friese-Greene was a society photographer, with studios in London, Bath, and Bristol. In 1889 he patented a “chromophotographic camera” – the first to use a roll of celluloid film to capture a sequence of images, but it captured only 5 frames per second and was not a commercial success. He also patented x-rays, 3D film, and two-colour cinematography. However, he died almost bankrupt in 1921!

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An Application was made for planning permission to build a 34-storey skyscraper at the south end of Battersea Bridge,(since reduced to 29 storeys). The Chelsea Society objected.

On 24th April 2025 the Planning Committee of Wandsworth Council rejected the application.

Planning Officers at Wandsworth had recommended the scheme be rejected due to the size and harm to heritage assets, siding with over 5,000 petitioners and 2,004 public objections — although the scheme also had 1,892 comments in support. 

The Mayor of London refused to call the application in for decision by him, and the developers appealed to the Planning Inspectorate.  Their appeal was dismissed on 14th May 2026.

Historic England had also objected to the ‘visually intrusive and incongruous addition to the townscape’, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea described the scheme as ‘discordant, dominant and oppressive’.

This is what it would look like if permission had been granted (with thanks to Denis Strauss for the photo-montage)

The Chelsea Society and the Cheyne Walk Trust had objected as follows:

“The Chelsea Society exists in order to safeguard the unique heritage of our part of London. The Cheyne Walk Trust is a residents’ association for the Cheyne, Royal Hospital and River Thames Conservation Areas with members living on Cheyne Walk, Chelsea Embankment and adjacent streets.

Our joint objections are focussed on the severe potential damage and harm to the historic and celebrated views of and from the conservation areas along Chelsea’s north bank of the River Thames, a designated Area of Metropolitan Importance.

A crucial part of Chelsea’s heritage is its riverside which constitutes one of the most iconic vistas in London. It forms part of the Thames Conservation Area and the adjoining Cheyne and Royal Hospital Conservation Areas, which contain numerous listed buildings such as the Grade 1 listed Chelsea Old Church, the Grade 1 Royal Hospital Chelsea, the Grade 1 Chelsea Physic Garden, the Grade 2* Lindsey House, the Grade 2* Crosby Hall, the Grade 2* Albert Bridge and many other Grade 2 buildings. Its skyline forms a harmonious whole which has been a much loved feature of our city for centuries.

The proposed building would do huge damage to this heritage.  Although located in Battersea it would be visible from all over Chelsea and would dominate and overwhelm the whole of the riverside. It would be completely out of character with the existing skyline and would set a precedent for further high rise development on the Wandsworth side of the river that would destroy the whole nature of the area.

The proposed skyscraper is vastly too tall for the space and location envisaged. It breaches Wandsworth Council’s Planning Policy set out in July 2023 where the height restriction is 12 storeys and where regeneration is favoured over demolition in order to meet Zero Carbon policy goals. It is also completely out of keeping with the heights of the immediately surrounding buildings.

A development on this scale would also involve a significant increase in the requirement for supporting amenities and services, but there is no indication of how these would be met.

Finally it would generate traffic chaos, Traffic flows across Chelsea, Albert and Battersea Bridges are already at unsustainable levels and for much of the day Cheyne Walk/ Chelsea Embankment are gridlocked. A new skyscraper next to Battersea Bridge would make this even worse and would further overload the whole of the Chelsea and Battersea traffic system.

For all these reasons, but particularly because of the impact on the heritage of Chelsea’s riverside, we urge Wandsworth Council to reject this application. To allow this skyscraper to be built in this location would from a Chelsea perspective be an act of wanton vandalism.

Turning to the Wandsworth Local Plan aspects of this development, we support the objections made by the The Wandsworth Society, The Battersea Society and the Putney Society. More specifically we set out the following concerns:

1. The Riverside Area Strategy in the recently adopted Wandsworth Local Plan (July 2023), having gone through the full process with an independent Inspector, defined the application site (MB-B2-02) as suitable for buildings of 5-6 stories. Some debate might follow Appendix 2 of the Local Plan Policy LP4 that could arguably allow (TB-B2-04) a height of 7-12 stories on this site.

The present application for a 34-storey tower completely contravenes and ignores the spirit, purpose and detail of the Local Plan and the rigours of the Local Plan process.

2. The site is part of a group of buildings between the Grade II* Listed, Albert Bridge and the Grade II, Listed Battersea Bridge. Various Grade I Listed buildings are within sight of the location, as is Battersea Historic Park (Listed Grade II*). Two of Lord Foster’s buildings form the bulk of the river frontage of the Ransome’s Dock Quarter of which this is part and are a maximum of 7-12 stories. When designing his two buildings, Lord Foster respected the group value of the setting.

 “The principal building on the waterfront is eleven storeys high. Its massing is designed to respect the heights of neighbouring buildings and to frame the view of the river from the opposite bank.” (Foster & Partners).

The recent adjacent buildings for the Royal College of Art on a larger site adhere to their context and are of 5 Stories.

3. In the Planning Inspectorate’s Report on the Examination of the Wandsworth Local Plan of 23 June 2023, the Inspectors made a number of important comments concerning Tall and Mid-rise Buildings – Policy LP4.
4. 115. We considered the representations regarding the application of Policy LP4 and MM146 modifies its wording by deleting “will not be permitted” and replacing it with “The Council will seek to restrict proposals for tall buildings outside of the identified tall building zones”, ensuring that the policy is in general conformity with the London Plan. It must be acknowledged that a number of respondents also raised concern that the proposed modification to Policy LP4 has been regarded as the “watering down” of the policy by allowing tall buildings beyond Tall Building Zones. Thus, a careful balancing of the issues is required to ensure that the Policy meets the 4 tests as set out within the Framework.
5. The modification will allow a degree of flexibility and thus, providing opportunities for tall buildings where one can demonstrate other material considerations in support of a tall building beyond an identified tall building zone. However, it must be borne in mind that such opportunities are likely to be extraordinary rather than ordinary, and we are not persuaded that the Borough should be made a free for all in relation to tall buildings across Wandsworth. Such an approach would not be in accordance with the London Plan or be appropriate given the proximity of Westminster World Heritage Site and other Designated Heritage Assets that are spread across the Borough, as well as sensitivity in terms of amenity/living conditions and other important conservation and design considerations. The quality of many parts of the Borough would be vulnerable to buildings that are out of place with their surroundings as a result of their height.
6. Moreover, there is nothing persuasive before us to demonstrate that it is necessary to allow buildings to exceed the appropriate height range within the tall building zones as stated at Criterion D of Policy LP4. 

 7. In the Design Review Panel (DRP) letter to DP9 (planning consultant). Dated 6 March 2024, they state: “In the first DRP, the Panel expressed concerns that the height of the building had not been properly considered in terms of its visual impact on heritage assets. This proposal is a significant departure from the recently Adopted Local Plan. Both the tower and podium trigger consideration as tall buildings and both are non-compliant with the mid-rise zoning of the Plan.”

It is more than regrettable that this application not only ignores Local Plan policy but blindsights the built context. Through semantic, tautological and flawed post-rationalisation, the applicants seek to justify a 34-storey tower, half the width of the Thames. Battersea and Albert Bridges are the markers on this stretch of the river Thames; this small site does not warrant such gross overdevelopment with a new over-scaled marker.

8. Allowing a tower even approaching this height in breach of Local Plan policy would set a dangerous precedent.

9. Whilst the existing building and its adjacent public realm are of poor quality, the proposal fails to add sufficient public realm enhancement to justify approval.  DRP letter to DP9 of 6 March 2024.

“Unfortunately, we are not convinced the public benefits offered as mitigation are sufficient, and we still feel it seems overdevelopment for this tight and constrained site.”

10. Battersea Bridge Road is part of the Red Route traffic control system. It has double red lines along the frontage of the site, right in front of the two proposed residential entrances. Double red lines prevent “any stopping, loading or parking at any time”.  The proposed design fails to respond to this simple reality, would encourage continuous breaches and add to the existing substantial traffic congestion.

para 111 of the NPPF states; “Development should only be prevented or refused on highway grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe. 

11. The submitted proposal has an unresolved fire strategy with the residential means of escape discharging through the car park. Such fundamental design considerations, especially post Grenfell, should be fully resolved before application submission. It would appear irresponsible to consider this 34-storey application for consent before fully resolving the safety regulations.

12. The architect’s Design & Access Statement (DAS) claims to provide “exemplar homes” and a “high quality residential experience” yet 50% of the affordable flats are single aspect.

The London Plan Guidance – Housing Design Standards (June 2023) – section C4 Aspect, orientation, daylight and sunlight states in C4.1 New homes should be dual aspect unless exceptional circumstances make this impractical or undesirable;

One of the single aspect typical affordable flats (DAS P59) shows a bedroom furniture layout with a wardrobe halfway across its only window. Yet the GIA daylight report claims that the “scheme performs excellently in daylight overall”

13. The podium rooftop play area fails to meet GLA play space requirements for the affordable occupants and provides nothing at all for the market occupants.

14. Whilst GLA and London Local Plans seek to reduce reliance on private cars and encourage more sustainable movement.  The scheme provides only 18 car parking spaces for 143 apartments (8%). Where is it envisaged that 92% of the residents will park? The site has a PTAL 3 rating that represents only average public transport connectivity.

15. The submitted draft Construction Management Plan (CMP) implies an overall construction programme of c.two-and-a half to three years. Given the constraints and footprint of the site and the proposed height, this is unrealistically optimistic – it would undoubtedly take longer. Further, the draft CTMP sets out a requirement for 200 to 450 HGV movements per month during the development period on the main access route and this includes  Battersea Bridge itself. The increased congestion on this already heavily trafficked Thames crossing would massively exacerbate congestion and inconvenience in the wider area for  residents and businesses across south west London.

Conclusion

The proposed building would create huge harm to Chelsea’s  heritage.  Although located in Battersea it would be visible from all over Chelsea and would dominate and overwhelm the whole of the riverside. It would be completely out of character with the existing skyline and would set a precedent for further high rise development on the Wandsworth side of the river which would destroy the whole nature of the area.

As observed by the DRP, the submission appears to have been rushed by the applicant team. This appears to be due to the timing of the option to purchase the site subject to obtaining planning consent for the present scheme.

The application site is “a unique location on a bend of the River Thames”, hence, is of extreme visibility along both sides of the riverside. This location deserves comprehensive and timely consideration not an ill-considered, hasty and greedy overdevelopment of a tight and constrained site.

Any development should comply with the London Plan and the recently adopted Wandsworth Local Plan policies. It should contribute to this important context rather than seek to ignore and ride roughshod over its sensitive setting. Approving, or even considering, this application would be to make a mockery of the Local Plan process.

In the light of these concerns, we jointly request  that the Council for Wandsworth refuse this application.”

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There will be a series of lectures this year about the Moravians and their church at Fetter Lane, which moved to Moravian corner (near World’s End) in Chelsea in WWII, and became the home and studio of sculptors Ernest and Mary Gillick.

For details and free tickets see   https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/fetter-lane-moravian-church-88137553153

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