Huge Changes Coming to King Street in 2013
Hammersmith town centre set to be transformed
The most welcome change is on King Street itself,where the run down Kings Mall shopping centre is getting a much-needed facelift.
MP Kings Retail bought the centre in May 2011 and is now aiming to refurbish the entire retail centre. The remodelling of the centre includes a new entrance from King Street and re-cladding the mall.
Sushi restaurant Wasabi has already moved into Kings Mall and it will be joined by fashion store H & M this summer, once refurbishment of the mall is complete.
Chris Baker, of letting agents GCW says other big retailers are set to follow. " MP Kings Retail's ambitions for the centre have the potential to significantly improve Hammersmith as a shopping destination. We believe that the combination of a major office based population with a large and loyal catchment is an attractive proposition to major high-street names."
The back of the centre is also due to be totally transformed. Developer St George West has applied to demolish both Kings Mall Car Park on Glenthorne Road and the vacant West 45 office building on Beadon Road.
The redevelopment of the site involves a new single building ranging in height from 4 to 17 storeys which will provide 418 new homes plus commercial space and a new 700 space public car park.
The developer is applying for a variety of uses for the ground floor space including shops, offices, restaurants, cafés and bars, plus community and leisure uses.
A decision on the application is expected soon.
This development will be across the road from 10 Hammersmith Grove, the first of two new buildings on a former car park which will offer new offices, restaurants and new public spaces opposite Lyric Square.
Afte six years of planning and fundraising, the Lyric Theatre has finally begun work on its Capital Project.
The theatre says it will will be changing the landscape of Hammersmith by building new drama, dance, film and TV recording studios, a 60-seat cinema and a new bar and café.
The Lyric is also to become one of the most sustainable cultural buildings in London with a Green Roof, almost 100% LED lighting and reclaimed furniture.
And as well as building a large extension to the west of the theatre, the theatre will also be giving the existing building its first major facelift in 30 years. You can read more about The Lyric's Capital Project, and how you can be part of it, here.
In December, Hammersmith and Fulham Council unveiled a revised plan for the regeneration of the area around Hammersmith Town Hall. This plan is significantly scaled back from the previous one which was rejected by the Mayor of London, though it retains some of it components including a new public square, opening up the historic northern façade of the Grade II listed old Town Hall while improving access and building new homes and retail/restaurant space.
However, changes include:
A limit on height equivalent to that of the current town hall extension
The creation of a £1million regeneration fund for improvements to buildings in this stretch of King Street.
Halving the replacement council office space requirement from the previous scheme
The removal of the bridge over the A4 into Furnival Gardens.
Considering the option to include a cinema within the scheme – the previous designs replaced the cinema with a supermarket
No need for the relocation of Thomas Pocklington tenants – a number of blind tenants in sheltered housing whose homes would have been demolished in the previous plans
Exploring the inclusion of buildings to the north of the town hall next to King Street flanking the new public square.
Cllr Nicholas Botterill, H&F Council Leader, says: " We are now working closely with our development partners and their architects to come up with attractive new design ideas for consultation with residents. These designs need to fulfil the project brief and achieve the main aim of breathing much-needed new life into this rundown part of Hammersmith."
You can view the documents presented at the consultation here .
January 11, 2013
