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Earls Court demolition plan approved for new homes | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Earls Court Exhibition Centre in west London is to be demolished to make way for thousands of new homes. | Earls Court Exhibition Centre in west London is to be demolished to make way for thousands of new homes. |
Developers want to create four "villages" and a "high street" on a 77-acre site. | Developers want to create four "villages" and a "high street" on a 77-acre site. |
The scheme, straddling the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham, is expected to take 20 years to complete. | |
Developers Capital and Counties said the plans will create 7,500 homes and thousands of permanent jobs. | |
But campaigners from Save Earl's Court West Kensington & Gibbs Green estates said the "greedy scheme" will lead to thousands of job losses. | |
Community 'damaged' | |
Members of Kensington and Chelsea's planning committee approved the project at their meeting on Tuesday evening. | Members of Kensington and Chelsea's planning committee approved the project at their meeting on Tuesday evening. |
Councillor Paul Warrick, who chaired the meeting, said: "Redeveloping Earls Court to provide much-needed housing and other uses has been our policy for many years. | |
"We hope that the granting of this planning application will make Earls Court a more desirable place to live with less congestion and more opportunity for work, commerce and leisure." | |
Community organiser for the campaign group Jonathan Rosenberg said: "Last night's decision completes the alignment of residents and businesses who will be damaged by this greedy scheme. | |
"The destruction of trade and industry, the loss of thousands of jobs and the demolition of such an iconic part of our heritage in favour of luxury flats is a disgrace. | |
"Council tenants, Kensington residents and the exhibitions and events industry are united - we shall stop this scheme." | |
Volleyball tournament | |
The redevelopment will take in Seagrave Road car park, Lillie Bridge railway depot and West Kensington and Gibbs Green housing estates. | |
The scheme proposes new community facilities including a nursery, healthcare centres and open spaces, plus financial contributions to Transport for London to refurbish parts of Earl's Court Station. | The scheme proposes new community facilities including a nursery, healthcare centres and open spaces, plus financial contributions to Transport for London to refurbish parts of Earl's Court Station. |
But tenants and leaseholders on the West Kensington and Gibbs Green housing estates, who will have to be rehoused, have called for a judicial review on the grounds that the plan is contrary to Hammersmith and Fulham's local planning policy. | |
Earls Court Exhibition Centre, which opened in 1937, hosted the volleyball tournament for London 2012. | Earls Court Exhibition Centre, which opened in 1937, hosted the volleyball tournament for London 2012. |
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