The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today welcomed plans for the redevelopment of the former Southall Gas Works site in Ealing which will create 3,750 new homes for Londoners.
The 85 acre brownfield site will provide a mix of housing and facilities for people of all ages, including low cost and family homes alongside a school and shops creating 1,000 permanent jobs. The deal agreed between St James, a part of the Berkeley Group, and National Grid will kick start one of the capital's biggest regeneration projects.
The site is located by the Grand Union Canal, adjacent to a future Crossrail station, a few minutes drive from the M4 motorway and next to 89 acres of country park. With such a good location, the development team believe this can become of one the best new places to live in London.
The Mayor believes that brownfield sites like this, in one of 33 Opportunity Areas across the city, hold the key to solving London's housing crisis and significantly increasing the supply of new homes in the capital. The former Gas Works ceased production in the 1970s and is now being used as a car park.
Work is expected to start on the site by 2015. The first homes in the new neighbourhood are anticipated to complete in 2019, the same year Southall Crossrail station is due to open. Outline Planning Permission already exists for three quarters of a million square feet of commercial and community floor space and a primary school as well as the housing.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "This canal-side site has enormous potential to become a brand new and much sought-after London neighbourhood, sparking massive regeneration across the whole area. Already just a short train journey from central London, with Crossrail on the way by 2019, Southall can provide thousands of the homes and jobs Londoners need."
Sean Ellis, Chairman of St James Group Ltd, comments: "London has a great history of building at this scale - from the Bedford Estate and Hampstead Garden Suburb to the new village emerging at Kidbrooke. This will be another example, built in that tradition. Something all of us will be proud to have worked on."
Malcolm Cooper, Managing Director, National Grid Property, adds: "Our work at Southall is a great example of what National Grid is doing across the country to help regenerate disused sites and open them up for exciting redevelopment opportunities to help local communities thrive. Getting the site ready for redevelopment has required substantial investment and a great deal of work from us. We've spent a number of years preparing the site for redevelopment and liaised closely with the Greater London Authority during the process to ensure things go as smoothly as possible.
"Working with St James on Southall will help us meet our goal of being able to deliver 12,500 homes within Greater London. This is in line with the Government's agenda of regenerating former industrial sites to help create sustainable communities. The final result will not just be new homes, but a new community which will benefit Southall, the London Borough of Ealing, and London as a whole."
Councillor Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council, adds: "Southall is being transformed through unprecedented investment and I am confident that our plans to rejuvenate the area will secure its future as one of the premier towns in west London to live, work and visit. Thousands of much needed new homes and jobs are being created through this development which will help to boost our local economy. We are delighted that the western road on to the site will be built, which is essential to ease traffic congestion in the area."
Councillor Ray Puddifoot, Leader of London Borough of Hillingdon, adds: "I am delighted that a reputable company like the St James Group are taking forward this development, I look forward to working with them".