LBHF council agrees to land sale for Earls Court regeneration

Councillors
for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) have agreed to
proceed with the sale of residential land for Earls Court’s regeneration
despite significant local resident objections.
 
The local
council has agreed a Conditional Land Sale Agreement (CLSA) with
property developers Capital and Counties (CapCo) for the redevelopment
of Earls Court, including the West Kensington and Gibbs Green
residential estates, will go to a future cabinet meeting if no major
issues emerge in outstanding negotiations.
 
If the CLSA is
agreed, all 760 homes on the two housing estates will be rebuilt in the
Earls Court redevelopment area. Tenants, leaseholders and freeholders
will be compensated and only have to move once new replacement homes are
ready.
 
The decision was reached following a council meeting on 23 April, which focused on a new cabinet report on plans to redevelop the Earls Court area, as well as resident concerns over CapCo’s masterplan.
 
According
to LBHF councillors, the majority of concerns raised by residents on
the two estates could be resolved. The cabinet report found 36.8 per
cent (215) of total residents objected to CapCo’s masterplan for Earls
Court, while only 17.5 per cent (102) backed it. Nearly 43 per cent of
affected residents in the wider area did not return feedback forms.
 
LBHF will receive £105m from the CLSA deal and has earmarked £64m of that for reinvestment into the borough.
 
“Our
part of west London is a vital engine of the London economy and the
London economy drives UK growth. Growth is the engine of economic
opportunity and this country needs economic growth,” Hammersmith and
Fulham Council Leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh stated.
 
“We have
long said that we are interested in seeing if our residents could
benefit from this strategic redevelopment opportunity. The Earls Court
land will be redeveloped.”
 
LBHF has already approved the first part of CapCo’s two-step masterplan to build 808 homes on the Seagrave Road site, 200 of which will would be used in a first phasing plan to relocate residents.
 
In
total, Sir Terry Farrell’s masterplan proposes four new villages across
the 77-acre Earls Court Opportunity Area including 7,500 homes,
commercial space, a park, playgrounds and other facilities for children.
 
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