Council Approves Redevelopment of Sands End Community Centre
Broughton Road building will now become nine new homes
As expected, Hammersmith and Fulham Council's Planning Applications Committee approved the redevelopment of Sands End Community Centre at a meeting on Tuesday, October 18.
The decision followed a report to the committee by case officer Roy Asagba-Power recommending that permission be granted for Verve Properties to convert the existing buildings into nine three bedroom family homes.
Verve Properties' website does not mention the site as a community centre, but instead describes it as the Loud+Western Building, a former laundry premises.
Although the site was originally used as a laundry, in recent years it has served as a library and centre for the local community.
However, Hammersmith and Fulham Council announced in July last year that it planned to sell off nine "under-used" council buildings, including the community centre and Fulham Town Hall, to help pay off debts.
The sell-off also fitted in with its plans to centralise library facilities, and close smaller libraries in Baron's Court and Sands End.
Local residents protested against the sell-off, forming an action group which presented a petition containing almost 7,000 signatures to the council, but the council decided last year that the sale should go ahead.
Sands End Library is now to be housed in a new facility at Hurlingham and Chelsea School, which is due to be open to the community within the next few weeks.
October 17, 2012
