Residents' Groups Want Rethink of Earls Court Plan
Review concludes mammoth development 'lacks wonder'
A visualisation showing a piazza in the Earl's Court development. Picture: ECDC
December 4, 2024
A group of West London societies have banded together to raise concerns about the density and lack of ‘wonder’ in the proposed Earls Court redevelopment plans.
The joint submission calls on both Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea councils to work with the Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) to ‘reconsider the scheme and bring forward more appropriate proposals for the site’.
A spokesperson for the ECDC said ongoing feedback has shaped the project since it purchased the land in 2019, and that it will ‘continue to listen to the views of those within the community, many of whom have expressed their support for the plans’.
The ‘masterplan’ for the unused 40-acre site was submitted with Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham in September this year.
If approved, the £10 billion redevelopment will deliver a new 4,000-home neighbourhood alongside benefits including 2.5 million square feet of workspace, 12,000 jobs and cultural venues.
The ECDC is a joint venture between real estate investment company Delancey, the Dutch pension fund manager APG, and Places for London, Transport for London ’s (TfL) property arm.
In a post on its website, The Hammersmith Society revealed it has worked with The Kensington Society, The Fulham Society, The Earls Court Society, Lillie Road Residents Association and The London Forum to review the mammoth proposals.
In that post, The Hammersmith Society wrote that while it supports the redevelopment of the site, the group is ‘to be convinced’ that the plan is better than the original CAPCO scheme approved more than a decade ago. This is partly due to the height of some of the buildings and the density included in the live proposals.
“This has resulted in much greater pressure on open space, reduced spacing between buildings, increased building heights, especially around the Empress State building, and greater impact on surrounding conservation areas, especially Brompton Cemetery and the conservation area of Philbeach Gardens and Eardley Crescent,” the society wrote.
In the joint submission filed with Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham the societies have detailed several areas where they believe the proposals fall short.
These include the need for the right housing, with concerns the scheme will result in high service charges and premium prices, the size and density of the buildings, the loss of daylight in nearby areas such as Lillie Road and the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates, and public open spaces being ‘inadequate’.
In one section, headed ‘Where is the wonder of Earls Court?’, the group wrote: “The cultural spaces are relatively small and divided. It is difficult to see anything to attract an anchor cultural institution, such as a museum or theatre company. This seems to be a missed opportunity resulting in a generic mixed-use development that could be located anywhere.”
The group also calls on both planning authorities to work with ECDC to ‘reconsider the scheme’ and develop the proposals.
A spokesperson for ECDC said, “The Earls Court Development Company took over the site in 2019 and has held many workshops, residents’ meetings, exhibitions and more through a far-reaching programme of engagement. The feedback has changed the plans at each stage of the process. We understand that concerns have been raised and we continue to listen to the views of those within the community, many of whom have expressed their support for the plans.
“Our role, and the role of those responsible for creating the homes and communities on which London depends, is to balance the needs of future generations with the needs and aspirations of existing communities – we have consistently worked to get that balance right. Earls Court is a 40-acre largely derelict brownfield site in Central London.
“Ten years after the Exhibition Centres closed and left the site unused, we are focused on bringing the site back to life, opening up access to all and delivering a new piece of city. It will deliver 4,000 homes, homes which are critical to the future growth of London.
“By prioritising the landscape, in response to consultation, the masterplan will deliver 20 acres of public realm and open space including an urban park, community gardens and landscaped spaces which welcome people into the site. Cultural venues and pop-up spaces will bring the site to life along with jobs and workspace.
“The exciting nature of London has always been its ability to evolve and transform, Earls Court will be the next part of the story of London.”
The Earls Court Exhibition Centres which previously occupied the site were knocked down almost a decade ago by then-owner CAPCO, which was looking to build thousands of new homes.
CAPCO however sold its interests in the project in 2019 for £425m to Delancey and APG following years of inaction. A decision is expected from Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham planners in 2025.
If approved, work is to begin a year later, with phase one to begin welcoming residents in 2030. The scheme as a whole is earmarked for completion in 2041.
Ben Lynch – Local Democracy Reporter