15 April 2023 | What does the Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan say about the Queen Mother Sports Centre? 

  • Westminster City Council and any promoters must ensure that any development of the Queen Mother Sports Centre and within the surrounding block is not too tall and doesn’t represent “creep” from Victoria (Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan Policy PIM 10 covers building heights).
     
  • The existing role of the Queen Mother Sports Centre as a community leisure
    facility should be retained. Redevelopment proposals must ensure that the
    leisure facility continues to serve the local community and meet Westminsterʼs needs (Policy PIM 23).
     
  • The surrounding terrace in Upper Tachbrook Street (in the Pimlico Conservation Area) and the listed terrace on Gillingham Street must be preserved or enhanced (Policy PIM 23).
     
  • Proposals should explore opportunities to deliver a permanent public pedestrian route through from Wilton Road to Vauxhall Bridge Road, the provision of accessible open space and/or improvements to the public realm in Wilton Road itself (Policy PIM 23). 

Full details of these and other policies are in the Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan.

15 April 2023 | Queen Mother Sports Centre – a clarification from the Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum

In January 2023, we heard about an organisation calling itself “Pimlico People’s Forum”. We want residents to be clear that this is not the same as the Pimlico Neighbourhood Forum and that we are not linked in any way.  

From its website and the Pimlico Post (a free newspaper circulated recently), it appears that this activity is all linked to Vitcorp Ltd – an international property development company that owns some of the properties in Wilton Road that back onto the Queen Mother Sports Centre.  

The Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan was approved by a referendum of residents in September 2022 and now applies to any planning application within the Pimlico Neighbourhood Area:

  • it includes policies that aim to keep the low-rise village feel that distinguishes Pimlico from the Victoria area to the North and thus is particularly relevant to any development on the block containing the Queen Mother Sports Centre;
      
  • It calls for a sports centre to be retained on this block. 

We will keep you posted.