Earl's Court regeneration reaches 'major milestone'

The development at Earl's Court is expected to be complete by early 2043, if fully approved

A £10bn regeneration project in Earl's Court, west London, has reached a "major milestone" after the first of two applications was approved.

Across two separate applications, the proposed scheme plans to deliver a new 4,000-home neighbourhood plus workspace and cultural venues.

It is planned to be built on a 40-acre brownfield site that was formerly home to the Earl's Court Exhibition Centres and has sat largely unused since the buildings were demolished between 2015 and 2017.

The first application was unanimously approved by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. A decision on the second, currently with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, is expected to be made in December.

The applications were filed on behalf of the Earl's Court Development Company (ECDC), a joint venture between real estate investment company Delancey, Dutch pension fund manager APG and Places for London, Transport for London's (TfL) property arm.

Rob Heasman, chief executive of the ECDC, said the approval by Hammersmith and Fulham council, marked a "major milestone".

"Earl's Court will be a new district in west London," he said.

"A long-underused, centrally located site with exceptional connectivity to deliver new homes, jobs and public space at scale – a strategic part of London's growth agenda."

Within the new estate, plans also include housing for older people, community spaces, a cinema and a live music venue

On the Hammersmith and Fulham side, the application includes plans for four, 42-storey buildings, containing homes and student rooms, plus a range of food, drink and retail spaces.

Within the new estate, plans also include housing for older people, community spaces, a cinema and a live music venue.

A total of 35% of the housing is to be earmarked as affordable, which is less than the 50% target set in Hammersmith and Fulham's Local Plan.

Officers, however, wrote that the figure has been independently assessed "and represents the maximum reasonable provision".

Due to the size of the project, with Hammersmith and Fulham's report alone coming to 451 pages, and the fact it straddles two boroughs, it is able to be called-in by the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan for a final decision if he wishes.

According to the council report, 376 representations were filed in response to the plans, 74 of which were in opposition, 33 neutral and 269 in support.

The objections centred around concerns about the height and density of the proposals, such as the 42-storey tower block, the design and impacts on heritage, and the level of housing to be delivered.

A new cinema will make up part of the regeneration scheme, which sits on the site of the former Earl's Court Exhibition Centres

West Kensington Labour councillor Daryl Brown said: "The project represents a major investment in the future of this borough.

"I believe that (ECDC's) team has worked diligently to ensure it delivers a long-term value while respecting the characters, needs and aspirations of the community".

The development at Earl's Court is expected to be complete by early 2043, if fully approved