The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today approved plans for major redevelopment in Earls Court and West Kensington in what is a huge boost for jobs, housing and infrastructure in this part of the capital.
The plans for the 32 hectare site will see the development of more than 6,700 homes and a raft of infrastructure and public realm improvements over a 20 year construction period. It is expected that the scheme could generate 36,000 jobs in construction as well as a further 9,000 to 10,000 permanent jobs in the longer term.
The EC Properties project, designed by architects Terry Farrell and Partners, was passed to the Mayor for his consideration after being given the go-ahead by both Kensington & Chelsea Council and Hammersmith & Fulham Council last year.
The scheme will see development for a wide range of residential, commercial and retail use, including new offices, hotels, a new school, health centre, sports and leisure facilities, a new park and public squares.
It will also deliver a range of improvements to public transport links, including at Earls Court, West Kensington and West Brompton tube stations. West Kensington and Gibbs Green housing estates, and Earls Court Exhibition Centre will be demolished as part of the plans.
Developers will work with the boroughs to ensure that residents affected will be properly rehoused in new homes as part of a brand new development. The developer has also already invested in and made improvements to nearby Olympia Exhibition Centre before Earls Court is demolished to ensure the continued vibrancy of the area’s events and exhibitions offering.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “I’m in no doubt that the development proposed for Earls Court and West Kensington will provide a massive boost not just to this part of the capital, but to London’s wider economy as well. It is a landmark project that will deliver much needed jobs, new homes and improved infrastructure and will make this strategically important part of the capital an even better to place to live, work and visit.
“I am acutely aware of the concerns that some residents affected by the project have but I’m reassured by the measures being taken by both councils and the developer to make sure the needs of local people are properly addressed. Having weighed up all of the considerations I’m of the firm view that this is a project that will deliver huge benefits to the area and beyond for years to come.”
Notes to editors
- The applicant for this scheme is EC Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of Capital & Counties PLC, and the masterplanners are Terry Farrell and Partners. To find out more about the application visit www.myearlscourt.com
- For enquiries about West Kensington and Gibbs Green housing estates, please contact the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.
- The Mayor first formally considered this application in December 2011 and advised Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham that it did not comply with a number of policies with the Mayor’s London Plan. These issues were addressed by the applicant and the application was passed by the planning committees of both local authorities in November 2012.
- Until April 2008, when considering planning applications submitted to him, the Mayor could either leave the Local Planning Authority to decide whether to approve or refuse them or, if they did not conform with London Plan policies, direct the borough to refuse them. Since then, where development proposals have implications for the capital as a whole, his new powers allow him to determine such planning applications.