The construction of affordable homes in White City leads economic recovery

Construction at Wood Lane, London W12 near Television Centre by St. James (taken July 2018)

A key theme for debate when we carrying out our 'Science Cities' forum discussion this October will be the issue of how to house key workers in cities.

Future Cities Forum interviewed the Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (Bruno Holthof) who is developing - with Oxford City Council - a Headington campus for R&D with key worker housing, and we also included Imperial College London's Director of Financial Strategy (John Anderson) in our discussions at White City on the plans for Imperial West.

Now Hammersmith & Fulham Council has secured 185 new affordable home in White City for key workers. The Centre House development in Wood Lane forms part of the work the council is carrying out in partnership with local partners such as Imperial College London and Berkeley Group to kick-start the local and wider UK economic recovery post the outbreak of Covid-19.

The new homes will be built for Imperial College London and Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust employees as well as other local key workers, in on of London's most exciting new neighbourhoods.

White City is now home to the UK's new capital of life sciences innovation which includes the likes of Imperial College London, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis and a thriving media hub with the BBC and ITV located there.

'We want to continue the work we have been doing as part of our Industrial Strategy, to make H&F the best place to live, work and socialise in Europe,' said Cllr Andrew Jones, H&F Cabinet Member for the Economy.

'These new affordable homes from Berkeley St James will ensure that everyone regardless of their background will benefit from the prosperity we're bringing to the borough as we work with our local partners to lead the way to economic recovery following the Covid-19 crisis.'

The new scheme will also provide 10,000 sq ft of new commercial space for Imperial College London, new pedestrian access routes and 915 bicycle spaces. Works will start on site in late autumn with construction due to commence in 2021. The first homes are expected to be completed by 2024. The development is viewed as the final piece in the jigsaw in the White City master-plan and is pivotal in connecting the major regeneration projects that surround it.

A new five-acre public park - called Exhibition Park - is being built just a few steps away from Wood Lane tube station, joining up with land on the other side of the railway arches outside Westfield.