West 12 Centre Owner Reveals Radical Redevelopment Plans
Lidl to close ahead of creation of 700+ homes and work spaces
Landsec, owner of the West 12 Shopping Centre has revealed radical plans for the site on the south side of Shepherd's Bush Green, including demolition of half of the building and closure of the businesses within it, including supermarket Lidl and the Vue cinema.
Landsec says: "We are thinking about the site in two halves: the back half containing Vue, Fitness First, Lidl and part of the car park; and the front half containing Aroma, Poundland, Argos, Bush Doctors, Wetherspoons and the Shepherd’s Bush Green frontages.
"When the back half is developed, all retailers there would go e.g. Vue, Fitness First, Lidl. We will definitely bring a supermarket back and are currently in discussions to see who else would want to return.
"The plans for the front half the site include proposals to improve and refurbish the frontage facing onto Shepherd's Bush Green. "
In documents unveiled during its latest public consultation, Landsec says the benefits of its proposals would include:
Reducing anti-social behaviour by remove off-licence and betting shop, removing unused elements of the car park which operate as a hub for anti-social behaviour,
improving character and openness to the streetscape along Rockley Road and improving lighting to all spaces.
Creating a new, safer, open air pedestrian route through the site to Shepherd’s Bush Station / Westfield, increasing natural surveillance from new residential and retail elements and adding
24/7 CCTV coverage across the site
Recreating the original feel of the Concorde centre by taking the roof off the main mall to create a more welcoming and open feel with new public spaces at the heart of the scheme providing a welcoming environment to be enjoyed by all including space for pop-ups, local events and performances
Improving the local service offer for all locals – not Westfield, retain the local doctors' surgery and retaining a local supermarket
Providing 700+ new affordable homes which would be high quality, well insulated, heated and
powered homes using renewable energy
Creating a variety of retail jobs, plus workspace for hundreds of new jobs, affordable workspace
provision for small businesses and 500+ construction jobs
New community hub space such as a community café offering healthy food, new, high quality,
multifunctional facilities for events and community gatherings and provision of local training,
volunteering and development opportunities for local people, the unemployed and those
living with disabilities
New street planting, trees and small parks to provide places to sit and breathe, children’s play areas to encourage safe play with better air quality, new enlarged doctors’ surgery, improved air quality through pollution-absorbing planting and materials, limited number of parking spaces for electric and shared vehicles
Explaining the reasons for the proposed redevelopment, Landsec says much has changed within the local area since West 12 was opened in the 1970s, but the centre has remained largely unchanged and has struggled to fill the empty shop units in the last few years.
The company adds that in a consultation held last summer, of the 700 respondents, 72% felt either neutral, negatively or extremely negatively towards the site as it is.
However, Landsec adds: " We were also told that there is a unique local convenience offer still enjoyed by many residents."
In an update on the project's web site Landsec says:"We have given a lot of thought to the right architectural response that meets local need and can deliver a better and safer place. The biggest obstacle is the southern half of the site so we are proposing that this is demolished and removed. This will provide an opportunity to deliver a mix of new uses, such as homes and work space.
"We think it is right to refurbish the front half of the site which would provide an improved affordable retail offer to continue to meet local need.
" We also believe that there is a strong rationale for some taller buildings that are higher than the existing Charecroft Estate buildings.
" We are currently working up proposals for these buildings and will be sharing the designs with
local communities in the spring as part of our second public exhibition.
" At this early stage in the consultation process we want to be clear that we will not be moving anyone from their existing homes in the two Charecroft Estate towers. Landsec does not have ownership of these towers (these are managed by Hammersmith & Fulham)."
A second consultation is planned in spring with more detailed designs. In the meantime you can find out more and offer your views on the plans on the West 12 website and you can see more details of its current proposals here.
You can also share your opinions with other local people on our forum.
February 4, 2019