North Paddington Canalside Programme

Information about the programme, how to get involved with its development, delivery timelines and objectives.

In collaboration with the Canal and River Trust, we are delivering improvements along 2.5km of the Grand Union Canal between Ladbroke Grove and Little Venice. The programme focuses on five key sites to:

increase connections between the canal and the city
improve the quality of the waterfront
activate under-utilised spaces
enhance the biodiversity of the canal environment

People walking down the canalside in the sunshine

This initiative is part of our Fairer Westminster ambition for a greener and safer city. The programme has secured development funding through the North Paddington Programme. It has also received additional support from the Mayor of London's Good Growth Fund which is currently supporting upgrades at either end of the canal with Queen’s Park canalside and Westbourne Green canalside.

Location

The programme area spans the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal in north Westminster, running through Queen’s Park, Westbourne, and Harrow Road wards. There are six sites in total, three are priority projects from west to east:

Half Penny Steps
Westway canalside
Brindley canalside

Three are future projects, from west to east:

Gerry's Pompeii
Great Western Slip Road
Amberley canalside

A map of the eight canalside locations proposed for improvements, from west to east, Queen's Park Canalside, Half Penny Steps, Gerry's Pompeii, Great Western Slip Road, Westway Canalside, Brindley Canalside, Amberley Canalside, Westbourne Green Canalside

Objectives

The main objectives for the programme include:

improving accessibility and safety along the canal through better lighting, signage and access points
enhancing biodiversity by introducing new planting, trees and reed beds
creating new community spaces for rest, recreation and cultural activities
supporting climate action through sustainable design and green infrastructure
celebrating local heritage and culture through public art and community programming
improving connections between local high streets and the canal

New opportunity: Public Art Commission for Half Penny Steps

We are looking for interested artists or spatial practitioners to re-imagine the footbridge that spans the Grand Union Canal at Half Penny Steps, Harrow Road. The commission would involve renovating the appearance, elevating it into a piece of public art with a new feature colour and lighting scheme.

This opportunity is being taken forward following on from the design development stage and community feedback on the concept designs for the North Paddington Canalside.

We encourage you to share this opportunity with your networks and any talent that might be interested in applying for this commission.

The deadline for submissions is Monday 17th March 2025. You can read more about the opportunity here:

Half Penny Steps Public Art Commission PDF, 7.84 MB, 16 pages

Timeline

Spring to autumn 2024: concept design development, public engagement and feedback gathering
Next steps: technical design development for priority projects and further public engagement