The Kensington Society is a

civic society In the United Kingdom, a civic society is a voluntary body or society which aims to represent the needs of a local community. Some also take the role of an amenity society. A civic society may campaign for high standards of planning of new buildi ...

for Kensington,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. It serves both as an individual membership organisation, with more than 700 members, and as an umbrella organisation for 33 affiliated residents' associations and conservation societies that cover specific areas of Kensington.The Kensington Society website home page
Link updated 2018-02-09 The society's objectives are "''to preserve and improve the amenities of Kensington for the public benefit by stimulating interest in its history and records, promoting good architecture and planning in its future development and by protecting, preserving and improving its buildings, open spaces and other features of beauty or historic or public interest.''”Kensington Society website - About Kensington Society
Linked 2015-05-26 The society was created in 1953 by a local resident, Gay Christiansen, who fought but lost a proposal to replace several historical houses on Young Street in central Kensington with a

multi-storey car park A multistorey car park ( British and Singapore English) or parking garage (American English), also called a multistory, parking building, parking structure, parkade (mainly Canadian), parking ramp, parking deck or indoor parking, is a bui ...

. Realising that local opinion wasn't considered or reflected in the planning process, she started the Kensington Society and was its driving force for more than 40 years.Kensington Society website: History
Linked 2015-05-26 Among the successful campaigns by the society since the 1950s are the preservation of

Leighton House The Leighton House Museum is an art museum in the Holland Park area of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London. The building was the London home of painter Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton (1830–1896), who commi ...

, the saving of the remaining east wing of the severely bomb-damaged

Holland House Holland House, originally known as Cope Castle, was an early Jacobean country house in Kensington, London, situated in a country estate that is now Holland Park. It was built in 1605 by the diplomat Sir Walter Cope. The building later passed ...

, and a revision of the originally proposed Princess Diana memorial garden in Kensington Gardens after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. The proposal would have drastically changed large parts of the gardens. Instead, the compromise solution became the

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground is a memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, in Kensington Gardens, in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. It was erected after her death at a cost of £1.7 million on the site of ...

in Kensington Gardens, and the

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk is a long circular walking trail in central London, England, dedicated to the memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. Overview The walk passes between Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St. Ja ...

through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park,

Green Park Green Park, officially The Green Park, is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the southern part – the core part – of the City of Westminster, Central London, but before that zone was extended to the north, to take in Marylebo ...

and St. James's Park. Since 1974, The Kensington Society is a registered charity.The Charity Commission for England and Wales: ''267778 - The Kensington Society''
Linked 2015-05-27 Its president is radio and TV presenter

Nick Ross Nicholas David Ross (born 7 August 1947) is a British radio and television presenter. During the 1980s and 1990s he was one of the most ubiquitous of British broadcasters but is best known for hosting the BBC TV programme ''Crimewatch'', whi ...

References

External links

The Kensington Society website

Kensington Society entry in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea contact directory
Charities based in London Conservation in the United Kingdom Kensington 1953 establishments in the United Kingdom Civic societies in the United Kingdom {{UK-org-stub