Government plan threatens status of Gardens Trust
Posted: 28th November 2025
The Government has launched an eight-week consultation, which proposes the removal of the Gardens Trust from the list of organisations who must be consulted about planning applications affecting historic sites. This would be a blow to the Grade 1 listed historic park and garden at Kensal Green Cemetery.
Support from other amenity societies and heritage organisations has already shown how this consultee specifically focused on important green spaces fits into the bigger planning ‘ecosystem.’ The Gardens Trust objected to the Ballymore proposals for the Canalside development on the grounds of the "irretrievable" damage to the character of the space through the "overwhelming" presence of dense and tall buildings. Their support for the historic character of KGC and for other green spaces elsewhere will continue to be important.
You can support the future of the Gardens Trust as a statutory consultee by responding to the Government consultation by 13 January 2026.