Housing

London’s housing shortage

London’s population is growing, and the city already has a shortage of quality housing. To avoid a housing crisis, the Mayor’s London Plan has given every London borough housing targets to reach by 2026. The boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea need to build 19,000 homes between them in the next 16 years and we have the opportunity to build a minimum of 8,000 within the Earls Court Project Area.

Re-housing local residents

If the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham decides to include its land as part of a comprehensive scheme, all the residents of the West Kensington and Gibbs Green housing estates will be re-housed within the Earls Court Project Area or in the immediate area, and the community will be kept together. Details are currently being discussed between the residents of the estates and Hammersmith & Fulham Council.

Affordable housing

The lack of affordable homes has been a huge issue in London for decades, particularly for key workers and first-time buyers who are finding it difficult to get onto the property ladder. The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea has the highest average house prices in the country which are 34 times the average income of its residents. House prices in Hammersmith & Fulham are the fourth highest in the country, costing 12 times the average income of local residents. Even successful, young professionals cannot afford to live in this part of London. The Earls Court Project could help to address this.

Mixed housing

We want to create a mixed community, and plan to build a broad range of homes in the development so that locals on different incomes can get onto the property ladder if they want to. Sustainability is key – as residents start families we’d like them to be able to afford to move into a bigger house in the area. And when their children leave home, they can down-size into a smaller one near to their friends and local community.

We’re also planning to cater to the demand for different kinds of homes, from high-end luxury apartments to more modest ones. More people are choosing to live on their own, and as we tend to live longer there’s a need for housing that’s suitable for the over-60s with easy access to medical facilities.

Tell us what you think

If you have questions or concerns about housing in the development, make sure you register and post your comments in our housing forum.