Out-Law News 2 min. read
17 Feb 2012, 3:00 pm
The plans for Seagrave Road cover around one million square feet and would include 808 new homes in eight blocks ranging from four to 16 storeys, alongside a series of town houses. Other proposals include a car park, commercial space, a gym and a cafe.
EC Properties submitted a detailed planning application to the LBHF in June 2011 which sought permission to redevelop the Seagrave Road car park site and land off Roxby Place. The application was submitted in conjunction with two outline planning applications and a conservation area consent application for the main Earl's Court site.
The Council's planning officer recommended the scheme for approval http://democracy.lbhf.gov.uk/documents/g2103/Public%20reports%20pack,%2016th-Feb-2012%2019.00,%20Planning%20Applications%20Committee.pdf?T=10 (208-Pages /1.73MB PDF) last week, and last night the planning committee agreed that "the proposed development would contribute towards providing much needed additional housing, in accordance with London Plan, and would help the borough meet its housing targets".
The affordable housing provision is planned to be delivered in the first phase of the development, enabling the regeneration of the Gibbs Green and West Kensington estates to be considered under a separate outline planning application. In the event the wider Earl’s Court proposals do not occur, this application would still seek to provide an affordable housing provision of 200 units on this site, the Council said.
Capco has welcomed the decision by the Council’s planning committee to resolve to grant detailed planning permission for the proposals. Grant of full planning permission for the scheme is subject to the signing of a section 106 agreement between Capco and the Council, under which planning obligations of £12.5 million have been agreed.
The planning obligations secured by the agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act are required to mitigate the impacts of the development. A comprehensive package of planning obligations have been agreed that would be used to fund improvements that are necessary as a consequence of the increased use arising from the population yield from the development.
Capco has a conditional agreement with Kwok Family Interests to form a joint venture in respect of Capco’s interests in and around Seagrave Road. Completion of the joint venture is expected upon expiry of the three month statutory period which follows finalisation of the section 106 Agreement and sign off from the Mayor of London.
“We are delighted by the Council’s decision on Seagrave Road. It confirms our long term view of the value which can be unlocked from Capco’s holdings in the area through a residential-led scheme," said Ian Hawksworth, chief executive of Capco.
"The site is an exciting opportunity to begin the transformation of the area, creating hundreds of new homes and jobs. We look forward to pursuing our plans for the project within the joint venture with the Kwok Family Interests."
