The Society was founded as the Paddington Waterways Society in 1950 by Lord Norwich (who remains our Patron), to oppose proposals to fill in Paddington Basin as a site for the enlargement of St Mary's Hospital.  It was soon given recognition by Westminster City Council as the Amenity Society for the Canal in Westminster and for 500 yards on either side.  Despite this limited area, it soon made its mark with comments on proposed developments close to the canal, and on measures for traffic control.

In the 1960's, Colonel Peter Flower succeeded Lord Norwich as Chairman and continued to be active in opposing plans for commercialisation of the canal area.  The struggle became acute in the mid 1970's following the Church Commissioners' proposal to 'improve' what was then their Maida Vale Estate, including the total reconstruction of Warrington Crescent behind existing facades together with the replacement of some of the communal gardens with mass Car Parking, and the introduction of large office blocks described by the Commissioners as a gateway to the neighbourhood.  At the time, the Society was not recognised by the City Council as having specific responsibility or the Maida Vale area as a whole, but this did not prevent it pursuing policies of Conservation including improvement where appropriate.  The planning and conservation experience of Chairmen Peter Jay and Leslie Ginsburg were invaluable.

At the time, although Maida Avenue and Blomfield Road were considered moderately desirable as they overlooked the canal, Warwick Avenue, Sutherland Avenue and other streets were in a poor state of repair and many of the buildings were cheap lodging houses or poorly converted flats.

Following the defeat of the Church Commissioners' plans to commercialise the neighbourhood, the Society played a prominent part in their decision to sell off the freeholds to the existing occupants.  In due course, this led to a greatly improved maintenance and repair of all the buildings, and the area started to 'go up' although a high proportion of former residents were able to remain in their homes.

In the early 1980's, the City Council recognised the Society's activities in the whole area by choosing it as the Authorised Amenity Society for Westminster North of the Canal and West of Edgware Road, excluding Queen's Park, and its name was changed accordingly.

The Society continues to defend the area from pressures by commercial interest and was instrumental in ensuring that a large proportion of the area is now a Conservation Area.  This has led to a marked improvement in housing standards, particularly in Sutherland Avenue and neighbouring streets.  At the same time, the Society has been active in promoting measures for traffic calming and in diminishing the attractions of streets like Warrington Crescent as commuter 'rat-runs'.

For many years, the threatened development of Paddington Goods Yard has been a source of concern and the Society has consistently opposed the proposals for the erection of intrusive towers, which will impair the view over the basin.  It must be admitted that our success in this respect has been limited but several of the more outrageous proposals have been defeated.  The maintenance of the canal and the Pool of Little Venice in beauty and tranquillity is of continuing concern to the Society.

However, the Society's influence depends very much on our ability to convince the City Council that our views are truly representative of all residents in the area, and to this end, it is important that as many as possible of those who wish to preserve the character of a unique part of London should join and lend their voices in support.