This neighbourhood area is known as Kensal Green. The once gritty neighbourhood has become quite fashionable in recent years and is now a magnet for celebrities, young artsy professionals and City workers. The neighbourhood is a mix of Victorian terrace houses, cool bars, cafes, and boutique and independent shops. It is also home to The Island, a local family friendly pub that offers seasonal ales and a monthly changing menu, as well as Minkie’s Deli, a cool and trendy coffee shop. The neighbourhood is in a prime location, surrounded by Paddington and Maida Vale. Boasting two Overground stations as well as the Bakerloo line, the rest of London is easily accessible for the area’s residents.

Kensal Green was originally one of the ten manors within the district of Willesden and was first mentioned in 1253. Most of this neighbourhood remained agricultural well into the Victorian era. Speedy development occurred, but because of this, the area was quickly plagued with huge social problems. This led to it gaining a reputation as a slum, with 55% of its residents living in poverty and squalor. The rapid residential development resulted in inadequate drainage and sewage facilities, with most houses having only improved access to what were the old agricultural drains, furthering the neighbourhood’s reputation as a slum. These problems were eventually fixed and the area grew into the prosperous neighbourhood we see today.

Vogue once named Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise as “the hippest street in Europe”. Knowing this, it should be no surprise that the area is home to multiple famous residents. These include the soccer pundit Ian Wright, model and author Sophie Dahl and her jazz musician husband Jamie Cullum, as well as the pop star Rita Ora.

One of the downsides of this neighbourhood is that property prices have risen considerably in recent years; up 21.19% for example between 2017 and 2018. The average rental is 10.9% above the London average and the average property price is 26.9% above the London average. This is likely because of the area’s great location and development in the last few years.

This neighbourhood area is slated for major development and refurbishment in the coming years. Harlesden, to the North West of the area, is set to be transformed by a million-pound regeneration project after Brent Council successfully secured funds for a Harlesden Gateway High Streets Heritage Action Zone in 2021. The funding will help deliver public realm improvements to the high street, as well as enhancements and refurbishments to existing buildings and shopfronts. Brent Council has also begun works to develop new council homes f0r Church End, with an aim to deliver 99 new homes and an improved Market Square for the local community. It is expected that works will end in 2025.

To the West as well, Old Oak Common has been designated a new super-hub set to be the best-connected and largest new railway station ever built in the UK. Development prospects around the station, which is expected to become one of the country’s busiest following the completion of HS2-related works for the station, are anticipated to have high returns and an area immediately to the southwest of the proposed station has already been identified for commercial development. The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) was also established to capitalise on the significant HS2 and Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) investment at Old Oak Common. Tasked with the redevelopment and regeneration of over 640 hectares of land, it is the OPDC’s ambition to create approximately 26,500 new homes and 36,500 new jobs along with new open spaces and supporting infrastructure.