New homes under construction for Kensington & Chelsea Council (RBKC) will be named after aspects of Notting Hill Carnival.
To mark the project’s hallway stage, RBKC invited Notting Hill Carnival Trust (NHCT) chief executive Matthew Phillip to the site in Barlby Road. Eighty-three homes – 38 at social rent and 10 reserved for key workers – will be provided in four blocks close to the traditional starting point for J’Ouvert revellers on Carnival Sunday morning.
The small complex will also include a multi-use sports hall – prioritised for local school pupils but available for the community after school hours – and a flexible studio that can be hired for community use.
Sof McVeigh, RBKC’s lead member for new homes, visited the site and said: “It was fabulous to see the progress on these high-quality and energy-efficient homes at Barlby Road and to play a small part in celebrating reaching the highest point of what will be known as Calypso Court.”
During her visit, Cllr McVeigh cemented in place the automatic opening vent on the sixth-floor terrace of Calypso Court. The vent not only improves ventilation but also helps extract smoke and heat in the event of a fire – a vital safety lesson learned in the wake of the deadly fire at nearby Grenfell Tower.
The council promised in a statement that all four Notting Hill Carnival-related building names—chosen in consultation with NHCT—will be unveiled soon. The development should be completed by spring 2026.
