Change is on the cards for Earl’s Court. With our partners in Hammersmith & Fulham and the Mayor of London, the Council is working to ensure that it is change for the better. It needs residents to get involved.
Some history
Earl’s Court has a colourful history. At one time it was known as the Polish Corridor because of the many Poles who made it their home in the wake of the Nazi-Soviet invasion of their homeland. In the sixties it was dubbed Kangaroo Valley because of the Aussies who went there in search of cheap digs.
In the late nineteenth-century it was the location of a 300ft “Great Wheel”, the London Eye of its day. And it was also home for a time to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show.
The current exhibition centre was opened in 1937 as a rival to nearby Olympia. Earl’s Court 2, which is just across the border in Hammersmith & Fulham, has been with us only since 1991.
Today
With its long history of accommodating new arrivals to the UK, Earl’s Court is a place well used to change. But now change on a fairly remarkable scale is on the horizon. Much of it will occur just across the border in West Kensington but change rarely respects municipal boundaries. That is why the Council is determined to shape that change for the benefit of its residents.
Earl’s Court is the 2012 venue for Olympic volleyball. But after that Capital and Counties (Capco), the owners of the both Earl’s Court 1 and 2, are considering redevelopment. Although there are some who consider Earl’s Court 1 an ‘iconic’ building and worthy of preservation, at present, a Certificate of Immunity from Listing has been issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport which doesn’t expire until September 2012.
At the same time, Hammersmith & Fulham is looking at the regeneration of the adjoining West Kensington and Gibbs Green Council housing estates. Similarly Transport for London is looking at options for its Lillie Bridge rail depot. The three sites together amount to just over 77 acres, which is larger than the King’s Cross redevelopment, making it a site of immense potential
The potential
The Mayor of London has identified the site as being within an Opportunity Area in the Draft Replacement London Plan. There are 33 Opportunity Areas in London – places identified with a significant capacity to accommodate new housing and new jobs linked to existing or potential improvements to public transport accessibility.
The site straddles both boroughs and right now the Royal Borough, together with Hammersmith & Fulham and the Mayor of London are working together to produce a planning framework for the site. Given the potential for such a large scale development in the adjoining borough - which is subject to the Mayor’s powers to grant or refuse planning permission and would have such a direct and significant impact on Earl’s Court - it is vital that the Royal Borough pursue this collaborative approach with both Hammersmith & Fulham and the Mayor of London in producing a document that clearly sets out the appropriate scale and type of development for this area.
The boroughs consider that the site can accommodate a minimum of 4,000 new homes across the whole of the Earl's Court/ West Kensington Opportunity Area – and the Royal Borough’s Core Strategy identifies a minimum of 500 of these homes being located within the Earl’s Court Strategic Site within the borough. The Opportunity Area as a whole is identified in both boroughs' respective Core Strategies as being able to provide these new homes together with a mix of commercial uses including a cultural facility which are required to deliver a sustainable and balanced development.
You will have undoubtedly seen recent press coverage regarding the developers (Capital and Counties) own masterplan for the area. They have appointed Sir Terry Farrell to produce their own plans for the area and further information on this is available at myearlscourt.com
More recently you will have seen press reports about a potential move to Earl’s Court by Chelsea Football Club. However, no development proposals have been received.
For residents of Earl’s Court and the Royal Borough a major potential benefit would be substantial improvements to Earl’s Court Road and Warwick Road and a reduction in traffic forced to use the one-way system. This must be an essential element arising from any development.
The issues
The Earl’s Court /West Kensington Opportunity Area offers huge development potential which, in turn, gives rise to many issues which the planning framework will need to address - such as:
- What is an appropriate scale of development that would be compatible with the surrounding townscape which includes many conservation areas and listed buildings?
- How many shops could be included within any redevelopment without harming the existing local neighbourhood centres?
- How can connectivity across the site between the boroughs be improved and can this be done to result in a more pedestrian and cycle friendly environment?
- Should there be any tall buildings on the site and, if so how tall should they be?
- The amount of any public and private open space which should be included in any development proposal
- What schools, clinics and other social and community facilities should be included to serve the new population?
The boroughs have just consulted those who live and work in the area on what they like about the existing area and what they would change through redevelopment. These views will be included in a draft document which will be issued for public consultation early in the new year. There is still time for you to influence this important document.
Commenting on the Earl’s Court project, Cllr Tim Ahern, the Royal Borough’s Cabinet Member leading on the project, said:
“This is a major opportunity to improve the quality of life in this important part of the borough. It’s an opportunity we must not miss. On both sides of the border we are hoping that this project will yield a more beautiful and better integrated Earl’s Court, a desirable place to live with less congestion and more opportunity for work, commerce and leisure.”
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Tell me when the consultation starts
