Westminster City Council is developing a high street Place Strategy for Praed Street, as part of the wider Paddington – Bayswater High Streets Programme. This strategy will set out a long-term vision and identify design opportunities to improve the high street. It will serve as a guiding framework for future proposals by the Council, landowners, and other stakeholders. The strategy will:
Establish a set of design principles informed by Praed Street’s local character and celebrate its identity and heritage
Bring together and clearly communicate the ambitions of local communities and stakeholders
Create a clear plan to coordinate potential projects that can drive positive change for the future of Praed Street
Process and timeline
Based on what we heard in 2023, we have identified a set of proposed objectives and locations for improvements for Praed Street. They address key spatial, environmental, cultural, community and economic opportunities and celebrate the distinct character of the high street. This engagement is part of the “vision and strategy” stage. We want to hear what matters most to you, what is missing, and what should be prioritised. Your feedback will help shape the final strategy, which will be completed in 2025 and used to guide future projects.
A short online survey will be live for 6 weeks from 4 August to 17 September 2025.
We encourage all those who live, work and visit Praed Street to submit their feedback.
Contact
If you have any queries, or would like more information, please contact us via email: highstreets@westminster.gov.uk
Paddington - Bayswater High Streets
In 2023, the Council launched the Westminster High Streets Programme and committed £10 million of capital funding to improve local High Streets outside of the West End. The vision is to make High Streets the backbone of welcoming and safe neighbourhoods where everyday services and goods are accessible to all and cultural diversity is celebrated. To find out more about the wider programme, please visit: paddington-bayswaterhighstreets.commonplace.is/
2 What we heard
In 2023, we heard your feedback on the Westminster High Streets Framework and your views on the challenges, strengths and priorities for Praed Street. Here is a brief summary of what we heard, which has informed the vision and design objectives for the Place Strategy. You can read the full engagement report here: paddington-bayswaterhighstreets.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/v3/you-said-we-did
Praed Street priorities
Creating a welcoming and safe street environment
→ Spaces to dwell and socialise
→ Greening and planting
→ Local events and markets
→ Better safety
→ Improved walking experience
→ Improved street’s aesthetics
Diversifying the high street’s uses and improving its retail offer
→ Health and well-being facilities
→ Mix of chain and independent shops
→ Enhanced range of products
→ Flexible workspace
→ Upskilling and training opportunities
Creating opportunities for social interactions and cultural activity
→ Cultural and artistic spaces
→ Family-friendly / youth spaces
→ Social initiatives and services
Help us shape the vision for Praed Street
Praed Street is a place where the world arrives to London: an entrance to the city. It is a high street that forms a village heart to its surrounding neighbourhoods, whilst growing as a dynamic hub for life sciences, health, tech and transport.
The design objectives for Praed Street have been shaped by community feedback, stakeholder engagement and technical studies.
We would love to hear your thoughts on these objectives to collectively shape the vision for Praed Street and finalise the Place Strategy.
Strengths and challenges
→ Accessible and convenient location
→ Close proximity to local destinations
→ 21,600 average daytime footfall
→ Affordable and diverse retail offer
→ Cluttered and narrow footways
→ Lack of greenery and places to sit
→ Traffic and pedestrian congestion
→ Major institutions and heritage landmarks
→ Attractive street character
→ New public space at Paddington Square
→ Development sites underway
→ Lack of cultural and nightlife destinations
→ Products and services not aligned to residents’ needs
3 What are the design objectives?
The Place Strategy for Praed Street is based on a long-term vision that is collectively shaped. It proposes key design objectives and a range of projects to improve the high street along its length (streetscape) and highlight the experience of its key spaces (gateways, focal civic spaces and side streets).
PRAED STREET STREETSCAPE
• Prioritise improvements for pedestrians
• Protect the street’s functionality and movement routes
• Better link Praed Street to the wider cycling network
• Support shopfront improvements
• Activate northern frontage and coordinate with future development sites
• Improve the high street offer
• Introduce public art to reflect local stories, character and heritage
Types of projects
GATEWAYS AND FOCAL CIVIC SPACES
Paddington Station
• Enhance the arrival experience from Paddington Station
• Create a welcoming space for people to navigate onward journeys
• Signpost key local destinations
Paddington Basin
• Create a legible access to Paddington Basin
• Improve the connection to Edgware Road
SIDE STREETS
• Enhance strategic connections to nearby destinations (Paddington Basin and Hyde Park)
• Improve walking and cycling
• Increase greening
• Provide places to rest and socialise
LONDON STREET
• Strengthen London Street as a green route More ambitious objective subject to feasibility studies:
• Create a new public space on the North section (between Praed Street and London Mews)
Praed Street Streetscape
Paddington
Paddington Basin Gateway to the neighbourhood
What are the proposed improvements?
We have identified priority locations for a range of high street improvements on Praed Street. They include design considerations for public spaces; streetscape improvements and traffic management, opportunities to animate the high street with public art and interventions to support existing and future businesses. The purpose of this stage is to collect your views on the proposed objectives and confirm the priority improvements to be included in the final place strategy.
Enhancing
Suggested
Site-wide
• WCC Business Support Schemes
• Street Maintenance and Operations: waste management, cleaning, etc.
5 What could the improvements look like?
These illustrative views paint a picture of what the high street could look like with some of the proposed improvements. What we showcase today are early ideas developed to test different possibilities. Your feedback will help us get it right, better understand which improvements to explore further and guide what is taken forward.
View of Praed Street and London Street intersection
View of Praed Street and Bouverie Place intersection
What are the types of improvements?
The proposals for improvement shown on the previous boards will be developed after the Place Strategy is finalised. To give an idea of what these types of improvements could look like, here are a few examples of how they have been delivered on similar projects.
Tooley
Paddington
Marylebone
A Place Strategy for Westbourne Grove, Queensway and
About the Place Strategy
Westminster City Council is developing a high street Place Strategy for Westbourne Grove, Queensway and Porchester Road, as part of the wider Paddington –Bayswater High Streets Programme.
This strategy will set out a long-term vision and identify design opportunities to improve the high street. It will serve as a guiding framework for future proposals by the Council, landowners, and other stakeholders. The strategy will:
Establish a set of design principles informed by the high street’s local character and celebrate its identity and heritage
Bring together and clearly communicate the ambitions of local communities and stakeholders
Create a clear plan to coordinate potential projects that can drive positive change for the future
Process and timeline
Based on what we heard in 2023, we have identified a set of proposed objectives and locations for improvements for Westbourne Grove, Queensway and Porchester Road. They address key spatial, environmental, cultural, community and economic opportunities and celebrate the distinct character of the high street.
This engagement is part of the “vision and strategy” stage. We want to hear what matters most to you, what is missing, and what should be prioritised. Your feedback will help shape the final strategy, which will be completed in 2025 and used to guide future projects.
A short online survey will be live for 6 weeks from 4 August to 17 September 2025.
We encourage all those who live, work and visit these high streets to submit their feedback.
Contact
If you have any queries, or would like more information, please contact us via email: highstreets@westminster.gov.uk
Porchester Road
Paddington - Bayswater High Streets
In 2023, the Council launched the Westminster High Streets Programme and committed £10 million of capital funding to improve local High Streets outside of the West End. The vision is to make High Streets the backbone of welcoming and safe neighbourhoods where everyday services and goods are accessible to all and cultural diversity is celebrated. To find out more about the wider programme, please visit: paddington-bayswaterhighstreets.commonplace.is/
Next steps
This project is developed by Westminster City Council alongside an appointed design consultant team:
2 What we heard
In 2023, we heard your feedback on the Westminster High Streets Framework and your views on the challenges, strengths and priorities for Westbourne Grove, Queensway and Porchester Road. Here is a brief summary of what we heard, which has informed the vision and design objectives for the Place Strategy. You can read the full engagement report here: paddington-bayswaterhighstreets.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/v3/you-said-we-did
Westbourne Grove, Queensway and Porchester Road: priorities, strengths and challenges
Creating a welcoming and safe street environment
→ Spaces to dwell and socialise
→ Greening and planting
→ Local events and markets
→ Better safety
→ Improved walking experience
→ Cycle infrastructure
→ Environmental and sustainable features
Diversifying the high street’s uses and improving its retail offer
→ Health and well-being facilities
→ Mix of chain and independent shops
→ Enhanced range of products
→ Flexible workspace
→ Upskilling and training opportunities
→ Promotion of the area’s local offer
→ More business support
Creating opportunities for social interactions and cultural activity
→ Inclusive spaces for arts and culture
→ Promotion of the area’s culture and heritage
→ Family-friendly spaces
→ Social activities among neighbours
Help us shape the vision
The high street cluster of Westbourne Grove, Queensway and Porchester Road offers a unique mix of products, services, and high street experiences serving a diverse local community and high number of national and international visitors.
Specific design objectives for each high street have been shaped by community feedback, stakeholder engagement and technical studies.
We would love to hear your thoughts on these objectives to collectively shape the vision and finalise the Place Strategy for this cluster.
→ Accessible and convenient location
→ Attractive urban and architectural fabric
→ Good range of products and services
→ Lack of greenery
→ Lack of public places to sit
→ Lack of community and cultural amenities and activities
Westbourne Grove has a unique character highlighted by a rich heritage and daily creative energy. Its cultural diversity and offer attract a great footfall, especially during weekends.
→ Strong sense of community
→ Important community assets
→ 28,700 average daytime footfall
→ Lack of affordable workspace
→ Lack of vocational or business training
→ Products & services not aligned to local needs
Queensway is a high street in transformation with several clusters of opportunity to enliven its ground floor high street offer and enhance its overall spatial experience.
3 What are the design objectives?
The Place Strategy for Westbourne Grove and Queensway is based on a long-term vision that is collectively shaped. It proposes key objectives and a range of projects to improve the high street along its length (streetscape) and highlight the experience of its key spaces (gateways, focal civic spaces and side streets).
WESTBOURNE GROVE STREETSCAPE
• Balance pedestrian movement, alfresco and operation of businesses
• Improve safety for cyclists and link to wider cycling networks
• Protect strategic and local movement routes
• Increase greening
• Protect the current retail, food and beverage offer, while supporting new functions and activities
• Introduce public art to highlight local stories and heritage
GATEWAYS AND FOCAL CIVIC SPACES
Fiveways Junction
• Improve pedestrian safety and accessibility and reduce crossing time
• Support strategic and local movement between local neighbourhoods
• Increase greening
• Create a welcoming arrival to the neighbourhood
• Promote the area’s local character and heritage
Queensway Junction
• Improve the crossing’s safety and accessibility
• Enhance the connection between the high streets
• Create a focal civic space for the neighbourhood
PORCHESTER ROAD
• Create a welcoming arrival from Royal Oak Station
• Investigate greening opportunities to enhance the link to Hyde Park
• Improve safety and accessibility of side streets crossings
• Support shopfront improvements
• Support community activities at Porchester Center
• Deliver community-focused artwork to reflect the local character and heritage
QUEENSWAY STREETSCAPE
• Retain existing footways and flexible loading bays
• Investigate additional opportunities for greening and seating
• Support shopfront improvements
• Improve the high street offer through Curate On programme
• Support evening and leisure offer
• Introduce public art to highlight local stories and heritage
• Create seasonal markets
• Create a welcoming arrival from Bayswater Road
4 What are the proposed improvements?
We have identified priority locations for a range of high street improvements on Westbourne Grove, Queensway and Porchester Road. They include design considerations for public spaces; streetscape improvements and traffic management, opportunities to animate the high street with public art and interventions to support existing and future businesses. The purpose of this stage is to collect your views on the proposed objectives and confirm the priority improvements to be included in the final place strategy.
Streetscape Improvements
Opportunity for enhanced crossing (raised tables or flush surfaces)
Opportunity for footway widening
Priority areas for decluttering (rearranging and street furniture to maximise the use of public space)
Area to investigate flexible kerbside use (footway, loading, urban greening, or seating)
Existing trees
Area to support alfresco dining (key junctions and side streets)
Cycle infrastructure
Place activations
Enhancing existing community activity
Opportunity for public artwork (murals)
Suggested location for animated furnishing (wayfinding totems, seating, community boards)
Suggested location for landmarks / gateway installations
Opportunity for shopfront improvements
Opportunity for markets
Site-wide interventions
• WCC Business Support Schemes
• Street Maintenance and Operations: waste management,cleaning, etc.
To Notting Hill
To Paddington
Westbourne Grove Streetscape
Five
What are the types of improvements?
The proposals for improvement shown on the previous boards will be developed after the Place Strategy is finalised. To give an idea of what these types of improvements could look like, here are a few examples of how they have been delivered on similar projects.
Marylebone Lane, London Credit: Publica
Scan the QR code or visit Commonplace to fill in the survey! paddington-bayswaterhighstreets.commonplace.is/en-G B/proposals/v3/place-strategies-engagement2025
