Major development greenlit despite concerns

The Kensal Canalside site is one of Kensington and Chelsea's largest planned developments

A major redevelopment which will see more than 2,500 homes built on a former gasworks site in west London has been approved.

Kensal Canalside Opportunity Area will see 500 classed as affordable with 342 at social rent and 158 at an intermediate rate. Although below Kensington and Chelsea Council's 35.7% target, officers said it was the maximum viable level.

Critics, including Historic England, had raised concerns about the height of the proposed towers, some of which would reach 29 storeys.

Council officers acknowledged some overshadowing of the Grade I-listed Kensal Green Cemetery and parts of the canal towpath but said the benefits outweighed the harms.

The project, jointly submitted by property development company Ballymore and Sainsbury's, will also see offices, shops, a leisure centre and a public park built.

It had received a mixed reaction with more than 1,800 objections and 1,673 letters of support submitted, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

The objections also included concerns about limited transport links and potential contamination from the disused gasworks.

The hybrid scheme includes detailed plans for parts of the site and an outline proposal for the rest, setting out the principles for future phases.

It covers the demolition of a Sainsbury's supermarket, petrol station, car park, community hub and 16 social homes currently on the site.

The proposal will now go to the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, who can either endorse the Conservative-run council's approval or call in the application for further review.

Developers Ballymore and Sainsbury's plan to build more than 2,500 homes on the Canal Way site

Michael Bach, from the Kensington Society, said: "Despite 15 years of trying to get this far, most of the problems have not been or cannot be solved. This is the largest planning application of this borough for 60 years, and it's only the start."

Independent councillor Emma Dent Coad added: "We need new homes here, but this plan will do little to nothing to tackle the severe housing deprivation or indeed poverty in our poorest wards."

The council has said the number of affordable homes would be reviewed as work progressed.

But Labour group leader Kasim Ali, who opposed the plan, said: "This council has said in the past that they will honour and listen and respect our members and our communities after Grenfell.

"It's about time this council shows the leadership and not break its own rules and policies and listen once and for all to the local community."

The planning meeting also heard from Toby Benton, an independent councillor, who said members had been petitioned "quite strongly" by the applicants and added that residents did not have the same access.

He later confirmed he could still make a decision "with an open mind".

The scheme will also feature office space and shops

Jon Roshier, director at Rolfe Judd Planning and speaking for the applicants, said the team was "incredibly pleased" to have reached this stage.

He described Kensal Canalside as "the largest housing delivery site within the borough and key to meeting housing need".

A local business owner also spoke in favour, saying: "The land they are building on has been empty for as long as I can remember, so why not put it into use and create something special for North Kensington?"

Shouts of "shame" and "disgrace" were heard from the public gallery after the decision.

Following the meeting, Mr Husband, who chairs the committee, said: "The number of homes is very significant in the context of our borough and in the end the public benefit outweighed the harms."

John Mulryan, group managing director at Ballymore, added the development would be "game changing not just for the people who'll move here, but for thousands of residents in the wider community".