Kensington Forum plans approved: £1bn redevelopment to include new hotel and 62 affordable homes after two-year row
The £1 billion plan to redevelop the site of the huge Kensington Forum hotel on the Cromwell Road in west London has been approved for the second time by City Hall after a two-year planning row.
Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe gave the green light to the proposal which will see the 906 room Holiday Inn – the biggest in Europe - replaced by a new hotel, serviced apartments and 62 affordable homes.
The decision appears to mark a final defeat for Kensington & Chelsea council and hundreds of residents, including Weakest Link presenter Anne Robinson, who had bitterly opposed the proposal.
In making his decision Mr Pipe said: “There is desperate need for social housing across London… If we are to deliver affordable homes and other benefits for London, we must ensure we make the best use of land.”
“As well as improvements to the architectural quality, when compared to the existing building, the development includes a number of other significant benefits such as the addition of much-need affordable housing, a reconfigured public garden square, additional jobs, improved visitor accommodation and public realm improvements.”
The council rejected the initial application in 2018 but it was approved by the Mayor Sadiq Khan the following year before being blocked in the High Court.
The latest designs involve a 749-room hotel, 340 serviced apartments, and 62 affordable homes. The new buildings would rise to a maximum of 30 storeys.
Developer Rockwell said in a statement: “Designed by world-renowned architects, SimpsonHaugh, the new scheme will replace the existing 906 room hotel with an exceptional high-quality development providing outstanding visitor accommodation for the future including restaurants, bars, health spa and conference facilities, vital to supporting London’s continued role as a world city and major global destination.
“Alongside the hotel will be a new, publicly accessible and sensitively designed 2,700 sqm garden square, more than doubling the size of the existing green space, which will be the only publicly accessible green area within 1km of the site.
“Despite the hospitality sector facing unprecedented challenges, this ambitious £1 billion scheme, which is set to become one of London’s largest hotels, is perfectly placed to come forward as part of the capital’s recovery and is testament to the powerful role the sector is envisaged to play.”