The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea has given planning permission for more than 2,500 new homes, two parks, a restored canal basin and a high street in Ladbroke Grove.
The application is now referred to the mayor of London to decide whether to agree with the council鈥檚 decision or call the application in for his own consideration.
The plans from developer Ballymore and retail chain Sainsbury will create a major new canalside neighbourhood in the capital.
Much of the 19-acre brownfield site has been closed to the public for more than 40 years as a former gasworks.
Kensal Canalside has been designed to deliver 2,519 new homes, of which at least 500 will be affordable, plus two parks and a local high street with new offices, shops, cafes and restaurants 鈥� with a reinstated canal basin at its heart. Plans also include a new 60,000 sq ft Sainsbury鈥檚 supermarket, with underground car parking.
The 11-year construction programme is expected to start in 2026. The first homes will be delivered in 2030 along with the new Sainsbury鈥檚 store and the neighbourhood centre around the restored canal basin.
Ballymore group managing director John Mulryan said: 鈥淭his will be an exemplar project, showing how we can turn a complex, former gasworks into a thriving place full of character delivering over 2,500 much needed new homes. Kensal Canalside will bring thousands of jobs, a new high street, leisure spaces 鈥� all of which will be game changing not just for the people who鈥檒l move here, but for thousands of residents in the wider community.
鈥淜ensal Canalside demonstrates the partnership approach we are taking to deliver large numbers of high-quality homes across the capital 鈥� in this case with Sainsburys. The collapse in housing starts in London is a serious threat to our city and the wider country. With our partners and local councils we have a responsibility to build increasing numbers of new homes, and we know that large, under-used brownfield sites like this can make a significant contribution to delivery. We鈥檙e hugely grateful to all our partners on this project, and to RBKC, for getting us to this point 鈥� there are many more milestones ahead.鈥�
Sainsbury鈥檚 chief property & procurement officer, Patrick Dunne, said: 鈥淪ince 2009 we鈥檝e been working successfully with development partners like Ballymore to redevelop Sainsbury鈥檚 sites into new homes and community spaces, while transforming what we offer customers. We鈥檙e thrilled that the council has granted us permission to build on this track record and deliver a groundbreaking new development for Ladbroke Grove."
Project Team:
- Client:聽 Ballymore/Sainsbury鈥檚
- Architect: 聽FaulknerBrowns聽(masterplan &聽Plot 1, Plot 5 & Plot 6), Hutchinson & Partners (Plot 2), Maccreanor Lavington (Plot 4)
- Landscape architect: Spacehub
- Planning consultant: RolfeJudd
- Energy & sustainability: Hoare Lea
- Structural engineer:聽 Walsh Associates
- MEP:聽 Hoare Lea
- Cost consultant:聽 Gardiner & Theobald
- Fire Engineer:聽 Hoare Lea
- Transport consultant:聽 WSP
- Heritage & Townscape:聽Turley
- Access Consultant:聽 WSP
- Wind engineer:聽 RWDI
- Environmental statement:聽 Trium
- Construction logistics:聽 TA Consulting
- Geotechnical: Talon & CGL
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