黑洞社区

A highly controversial scheme to redevelop part of Hammersmith has won planning permission.

The scheme, submitted by King Street Developments, a joint venture between Helical Bar and Grainger, was given the go ahead by a majority of the Hammersmith & Fulham council鈥檚 committee on Wednesday night.

The Sheppard Robson-designed project includes the demolition of the seventies Town Hall extension and its replacement with a new public square on King Street in front of the grade-II listed town hall and boasting an outdoor cinema.

It will also provide a new council office building, 290 new homes and a series of new shops and restaurants, including a community sized supermarket.

However, the scheme 鈥� which has been four years in the making and is a slightly smaller version of a proposal first submitted at the end of last year 鈥� could face an appeal due to local opposition that has objected on the grounds that the plans require the demolition of Hammersmith鈥檚 only existing cinema and the eviction of blind residents from a sheltered housing block.

Residents have also hit out at the 15-storey height of the apartment blocks in King Street claiming this will blight a stretch of the nearby River Thames.

Following the council鈥檚 decision, David Walters, speaking on behalf of King Street Developments, said: 鈥淭his scheme will deliver tangible regeneration benefits for Hammersmith and we are extremely pleased that the council鈥檚 officers and planning committee have recognised this. 鈥�

Councillor Mark Loveday, the council鈥檚 cabinet member for strategy, said: 鈥淭his is excellent news for Hammersmith and it is good news that the plans, reduced by KSD in the summer, have now got the go ahead.

鈥淚t is good news for businesses in and around King Street that will get an economic shot in the arm when the project is complete. It is good news for people who are hoping to get onto the property ladder. And it is good news for taxpayers who will not need to find 拢18m to refurbish the ugly town hall extension.鈥�