Kensington and Chelsea weighs in on Earls Court scheme row

摘要

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's (RBKC) deputy leader has given Ns support to Hammersmith and Fulham council in an attempt to get developer Capco to rethink its Earls Court plans. Councillor Kim Taylor-Smith said during a council meeting this week that he had written to Capco asking it to "explore any opportunities to increase the level of genuinely affordable housing and social housing in the project-He added: "I want to make it very clear that I do not believe the continuation of this development under the current terms is right and as a minimum, if this is to continue, I want to see more social and more truly affordable housing in this scheme." But Taylor-Smith admitted that the RBKC does not have the "legal power to rescind our [planning] decision" to approve the 77-acre scheme in 2012. "The application went through due process and was agreed by both boroughs," he said. Taylor-Smith's support for Hammersmith and Fulham comes after the west London council refused Capco's request for a new masterplan at the site as it did not "believe the proposed level of density and affordable housing could be supported or delivered".