The next stage of the redevelopment of the West End of King Street has started after a new series of consultation meetings has begun.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council announced in January that Grainger and Helical Bar had been chosen to work together on the development.
The plans involve creating a public piazza on the site of the "ugly" town hall extension, as well as creating new restaurants, shops, homes, offices and civic buildings. The proposals also include a step-free bridge linking the town centre and Furnival Gardens.
Grainger/Helical Bar are working on site assembly, while consulting with residents on a issues including design and future accommodation for those affected, and are looking for potential operators for the community sized food store planned for the site.
In a separate development, which has nothing to do with the council scheme proposed with Grainger/Helical Bar, the owner of the cinema site – St James Investments – has submitted a planning application to build a supermarket on the site. The council believes that its proposals, together with those of Grainger/Helical Bar, will deliver a better redevelopment of the West End of King Street than piece meal proposals involving individual parcels of land.
Should site assembly prove difficult, the Council is prepared to CPO – Cllr Mark Loveday says: “We have recently started discussions with the various landowners involved to assemble the site and we are hopeful of achieving a deal that suits everyone. However, we have always said that, if this is not possible we will not hesitate to use our compulsory purchase powers.”
Grainger/Helical Bar are expected to submit their planning application towards the end of 2008 with a council planning committee set to hear the application in early 2009.
