Construction on Westfield Extension To Begin in May

Westfield expands northwards

Construction work on the extension to Westfield Shopping Centre is set to begin in May.  Demolition work has of course already begun, with great swathes of brownfield land north of Westfield turned to rubble. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of May and continue through until October 2017, if our Council gives the green light. So should we welcome this massive expansion of what is already one of Europe's largest shopping centres?


What will happen next?
Phase 1 of the development will consist of engineering and construction operations to form the foundations and basement of the new extension to Westfield.

John Lewis - coming in 2017

What is going to be built?
Loads of stuff, described in planners' jargon as "a mixed use scheme", including "demolition of existing buildings and associated structures, the closure and alteration of highways, engineering works and construction of new buildings". Plus we will get "an anchor department store" (that's John Lewis, in plain English), around "1,347 residential units" - ie posh flats.  There are also "new pedestrian routes and open spaces" - that's a new park being planned - and "cycle parking, car and motorcycle parking and vehicular access and servicing facilities". So, a huge new extension to the Westfield behemoth.

Have Westfield got planning permission for this?
Yes. Planning permission was granted for the extension in September 2014.

Will there be new jobs?
Plenty. H&F Council have said that round 8,000 new jobs will be created.

What is coming?
Plenty of new restaurants, cafes, leisure facilities, offices, community space and shops, including (huzzah!) the first John Lewis in west London.

What about affordable housing?
The scheme is also expected to provide between 160 and 250 affordable homes.

Where can people see the plans?
You can see more details of the phasing programme and comment on the application here.

Why is all this happening?

Shepherd's Bush is officially a Regeneration Zone - meaning that our Council has targeted it for special incentives and opportunities for redevelopment. The northward expansion of Westfield is just the start of it. Our neighbourhood will be completely transformed in the years ahead.

What else is happening?

Not only is Westfield expanding north, but the UGLI building on Wood Lane is also set to be redeveloped (subject to planning permission), creating lots of new flats and also a new park. You can see the park in the image at the top - it will run alongside the Hammersmith and City Underground line.

So we are getting a new public park?
Yes. The brand new park will create much-needed green space in the Borough. South of the railway line, the park will connect up with the northern extension of the new Westfield development. You can see a bird's eye view below. The park is the green bit, marked 1 on the map.

The new park seen from above. Copyright Westfield.

Where can I see the plans?
You can see more about St James's plans for the UGLI building by following this link:  http://www.stjameswhitecity.com/consultation/consultation-material/ Local residents are being encouraged to submit their views on the proposals.

You can see more on the UGLI proposals by following this link.

Are we really getting a John Lewis?
Yes. You can read more about the expansion of Westfield at this BBC news story. The biggest tenant will be John Lewis, opening in 2017.

John Lewis - How it Will Look. Copyright Westfield

What about the DIMCO buildings? Aren't they listed?
Yes. Westfield does not have planning permission to remove the listed DIMCO buildings (where scenes from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? were filmed), but this is described at their website as one of their "aspirations for the future", in order to create "a spectacular new civic square which could provide a variety of uses throughout the year".

DIMCO Buildings - home of the ACME warehouse in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

For the latest on Westfield expansion, see our March 2016 blog post here.

---Alex

The Bush Telegraph offers a personal view on life in Shepherd's Bush. Read about the Campaign to Save Hammersmith Park, find out about our new Farmer's Market, see what's on at The Bush Theatre, find out the latest news on the future of Shepherd's Bush Market, and the Council's plans to upgrade the Goldhawk Road and the Uxbridge Road. If you would like to contribute a story about our neighbourhood, email us at shepherdsbushblog@gmail.com.