Evolution of the taskforce

Progress of Westminster’s Retrofit Taskforce

Established in 2022, the taskforce developed an early delivery plan with complementary and innovative workstreams aimed at addressing the identified barriers and upscaling delivery at a systemic level. The Retrofit Taskforce is comprised of council officers, external stakeholders and three independent industry experts:

Alex Whitcroft, KIN
Sara Edmonds, Studio seARCH
Nick Heath, NDM Heath – Sustainable Energy Services

Engagement with the Retrofit Taskforce

In October 2022, a workshop was held to define the taskforce and shape its priorities. The workshop involved 50 representatives, including:

resident groups
Grosvenor
The Crown Estate
The Howard de Walden Estate
Peabody Housing Association
Notting Hill Genesis Housing
Historic England
Westminster's Housing Team
Westminster's Planning Team
Westminster's Building Control Team

Many of the participants are still involved and continue to be consulted to develop workstreams.

Future development of the Retrofit Taskforce

In July 2023, funding was successfully secured from Innovate UK. Innovate UK provides businesses and local authorities with the expertise, facilities, and funding needed to test, demonstrate, and evolve their ideas to drive the UK’s productivity and economic growth.

With this investment, the Retrofit Taskforce will shape and pilot innovative new approaches to retrofit Westminster's unique built environment. Lessons from these boundary-testing approaches and pilots will improve planning policies, and new delivery methodologies will be developed to make retrofitting more efficient and effective.

Funding has enabled us to hire a full-time position of Lead Retrofit Innovation and Delivery Officer to lead the taskforce for the next two years. Collectively these efforts will help drive an upscaling of much needed retrofit to help us achieve net zero emissions by 2040.