The final planning consent for £1bn extension of the Westfield shopping mall was granted by Hammersmith and Fulham Councils the project this week, following the acquisition of outline planning consent in March 2012.
The new extension will include up to 1,522 new homes, a leisure facility and will link Shepherd’s Bush town centre, Kensington and Chelsea to a new shopping centre in White City.
The Westfield expansion plans include:
- 61,840 sq m of retail space in the form of an extension to Westfield London and John Lewis’ first west London four-level department store
- 8,170 sq m of space for restaurants and cafes
- 2,065 sq m of office space
- 3,500 sq m of leisure facilities
- 1,600 sq m of community space
- Up to 1,522 new homes across the site
The approved expansion plans of the Westfield shopping centre were altered last year to separate the residential elements from the retail and leisure facilities as well as to deliver a new John Lewis department store.
The retail area has been listed in the Mayor’s London Plan 2013 as an area of economic opportunities.
Upon its completion, the Westfield mall is expected to be the biggest shopping centre in Europe linking Shepherd’s Bush Town Centre and Kensington and Chelsea to the White City Opportunity Area.
The enabling works are scheduled to start in the second half of this year, with main construction phase set in 2015.
Although Westfield acts as a main contractor on most of its developments, its in-house contracting team prepares packages of specialist work that go out to tender to subcontractors.
Duncan Bower, the Westfield director of development, said: “The approval of our Westfield London expansion is an important part of our £3.5bn-plus development pipeline in the UK and Europe.
“We are delighted that councillors at Hammersmith and Fulham Council recognised the benefits that our £1bn expansion will bring to White City in the form of 7,800 jobs, new housing and an even greater range of shops and leisure facilities, including the first John Lewis in west London.”
Photo Source: Construction News
