A Vision for Maxilla
Where is Maxilla?
‘Maxilla' refers to the space under the Westway flyover, between St Mark’s Road and Bramley Road.
The wider area gained its name from a road called 'Maxilla Gardens', which was demolished to build the Westway flyover in the late 1960's. The much-loved Maxilla Nursery existed on the site underneath the Westway flyover for 40 years until its closure in 2015.​​​
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Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower in June 2017, the open space behind the former Bramley's building became a hive of artistic expression and a meeting point for those sharing their grief and frustration. A central focus for this artistic expression was the rear wall of the former ‘Bramley’s Big Adventure’ building, which became known locally as the ‘Wall of Truth’.
The community was invited to share their stories and testimony on the wall, in the hope of seeking justice for the lives lost in the tragedy. The public realm surrounding the Wall of Truth has, over time, grown to become a wider memorial space, with artists commissions and organic street art contributing to a space which has become sacred to the local community.  Famous graffiti artists donated their work, while parents and children added their own artwork to the space.
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Today, the wider 'Maxilla' area incorporates land part of the ‘Westway Trust’ estate, as well as land managed by the local authority, RBKC. It is home to a number of community organisations and businesses, and open spaces as part of the public realm, including 'Maxilla Gardens' open green space (named after the original road named 'Maxilla Gardens').
Surrounding developments
Maxilla City CIC, a community organisation set up to steward the development of the new Maxilla City space, in bays 19-15 under the Westway (this is space managed by RBKC, not Westway Trust). The proposal for development in this space will include community space, adult social care and a cafe.
Maxilla Gardens has recently undergone a transformation, led by community organisation Grow 2 Know. Inspired by the social effects of life under the Westway in 1960, the garden tells stories of adversity and activism in both the past and the present. The innovative design has an abundance of undulating, meandering and swathing greenery for wildlife, with bespoke furniture and repurposed materials used to create the pathways and features, inspired by the industrial development of the past.
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Latymer Community Chruch site is being redeveloped by RBKC. The new building provides a brand new and improved community church on its existing site on Bramley Road alongside new homes and community improvements such as a permanent children’s drop-in Stay and Play facility. This project has been paused by RBKC while they review the scheme's viability.
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The spaces within the Hope Garden Eco Centre and the Centre for Urban Sustainability have been carefully considered to avoid duplication of function as this is seen as a paired project that will be linked by surface design.
A collaborative approach
With the above developments and proposals gaining momentum, a collective of key stakeholders has now been formed to tie these proposals together. By pooling ideas, expertise, funding and resources, the collective aim is to present a unified vision for the Maxilla precinct which builds on the strengths of each proposal and maximise resources.
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Stakeholders:
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Hope Gardens W10
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Westway Trust
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Grenfell bereaved and survivors
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Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission
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Maxilla Social Club
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Maxilla Men's Shed
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Seven Forest Schools
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ACAVA Arts North Kensington
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Bikeworks CIC
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Maxilla City CIC
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RBKC
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Latymer Community Church
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North Kensington Hearts & Minds (Bay 20 Community Centre)
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Grow to Know CIC
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Silchester Estate residents, (and particularly Whitstable House residents)
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Scampston Mews residents
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Kingsdown Close residents
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Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club
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Retail tenants in Bramley Road shops (RBKC tenants)
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It was great for the Westway Trust and Civic London to meet with many of the partners through the earlier planning stages and we were grateful to those who attended and gave input via the three or four focus group meetings we held in 2022.
These included ACAVA, Forest School representatives, Imperial Health, CNWL NHS Trust, Maxilla City and members of our Environment Forum. We will be reaching you to you all again, and others, as part of this process.
A process for development
Separate pieces of stakeholder consultation have been ongoing for the past 4 years, which has enabled us to work with a creative team to imagine designs for both a Hope Gardens Eco Centre and Centre for Urban Sustainability. These initial concepts and designs have been used to submit both developments for pre-planning advice, which has received a favourable response from the planning authority. ​
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Prior to submitting pre-planning as outlined below, a number of community conversations took place regarding future visions for the Maxilla space. Most notably, community groups including Just Solutions 123... had proposed the development of a 'Geo Dome' structure, and later a version of the Hope Gardens Eco Centre which included many of the aspects of the current proposal. The latter was submitted for pre-planning advice, with the feedback and results of previous community consultation being incorporated into the current plans.
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We are now using these initial designs and feedback from the pre-planning process, to move forward with a programme of community and stakeholder consultation.
1. Pre-planning
Pre-planning for the Hope Gardens Pavilion and Centre for Urban Sustainability has been submitted, with a favourable response.
4. Fundraising Strategy
Once we have a clear vision, we will develop a fundraising strategy and nurture existing partnerships to help fund the vision.
2. Community Consultation
We're now conducting the first phase of community consultation to determine our community's priorities for the space.
5. Seek Planning Permission
Once funding and partnerships are confirmed, final planning permission will be sought from the planning authority.
3. Develop model for Operation
Following the first phase of community consultation, we'll develop a model for the operation and governance of new developments that are both community centred and financially sustainable.
6. Begin phased construction
A phased construction can begin following the approval of Planning Permission and a successful fundraising plan.
Project Proposals
A vision for Maxilla in the future. Key to this vision are the following important, interconnected elements:
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Following consultation, it is likely that each of the following proposals will proceed at different paces.
Necessarily, the preservation of the Wall of Truth may proceed at a faster pace, while the Hope Gardens Eco Centre may seek planning approval before the Centre for Urban Sustainability.