New 4500 home masterplan for Earls Court

A fresh masterplan has been released, resurrecting ambitions to redevelop the 40-acre former Earls Court exhibition site in west London. 

The revised scheme sets out plans for 4,500 new homes, with 35% affordable housing.

In addition, homes will be set within a landscape-led development which aims to go beyond net zero and become a climate-positive neighbourhood.

Vision

Architects Hawkins Brown and Studio Egret West set out their vision for the redevelopment.

The 16ha site straddles the boundary of Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham councils – as well as rail and London Underground lines.

The latest Earl’s Court vision places heavy emphasis on new public realm and cultural space. This is as well as community facilities and services.

Meanwhile, a new park on the site of the former Earls Court exhibition centre will join both sides of the development.

Employment

ECDC expect the scheme to create 15,000 jobs following construction, with 2000 more across the build programme.

Rob Heasman, CEO of Earls Court Development Company, said: “This 40-acre site is perhaps Central London’s most significant redevelopment opportunity.

”The aspiration is for the development to incorporate the first large-scale zero carbon energy sharing network in the UK, enabling local people to benefit from cost-effective heat networks.”

The masterplan will evolve over the course of this year with a planning application due to be submitted by the end of 2023.

Connections

The first phase of development, comprising 1,300 homes, the park and vital east-west connections is due to start in 2025.

Heasman added: “Up to 15,000 jobs will be created with the development becoming a research and development hub for green tech, attracting businesses which have a role in transforming our future by responding to the climate crisis.”

In recent years it has lain derelict, with the Exhibition Centres demolished in 2015.

Crucially previous controversial plans to demolish West Kensington and Gibbs Green housing estates at the vast site have been canned.

The scheme is being developed by the Earls Court Development Company. This is a joint venture between Delancey and Transport for London that acquired the site from previous owner CapCo in 2019 for £425m.

Rob Heasman, CEO of Earls Court Development Company, said:

“This 40-acre site is perhaps Central London’s most significant redevelopment opportunity.

”The aspiration is for the development to incorporate the first large-scale zero carbon energy sharing network in the UK, enabling local people to benefit from cost-effective heat networks.”