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Council could issue order to take Earl’s Court site from developer, claims Khan

London mayor Sadiq Khan has warned that two estates at the Earl’s Court regeneration site owned by Capital and Counties (Capco) could be taken from the developer without its consent unless it sells up.

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West Kensington Estate, part of the Earl’s Court regeneration site (picture: Google Street View)
West Kensington Estate, part of the Earl’s Court regeneration site (picture: Google Street View)
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Council could take Earls Court land from developer by force, warns @SadiqKhan #ukhousing

The mayor said he has “no confidence” in the firm’s ability to manage the project, which is one of the largest development schemes in the country.

Capco gained planning permission to develop the huge west London site in 2012 but has been criticised for a lack of progress since.

It cut the value of the scheme for a third time in May to £412m, having considered the project to be worth £759m in 2018.

The site includes two social housing estates comprised of 760 homes – West Kensington and Gibbs Green – which are set for demolition and redevelopment under Capco’s proposals.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council and Mr Khan have previously called for the estates to be handed back to the local authority.


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Following a meeting between Mr Khan and the council’s Labour leader Stephen Cowan to discuss Earl’s Court yesterday, the mayor said Capco “has proved incapable of bringing anything forward”.

He added: “I have no confidence in the ability of Capco to manage a development of this scale and all options for breaking the current impasse must be considered – including the council exercising its ability to acquire the site using a compulsory purchase order.

“This could be avoided if Capco simply sells its interests to a party capable of developing the site.”

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has promised that the £90m Capco paid for the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates would be refunded as soon as the developer agrees their return.

Capco has previously refused a regeneration proposal from Transport for London, which owns a 37% stake in the Earls Court Partnership development vehicle, that would include the developer returning the two estates.

Mr Khan said the Earl’s Court site has potential “to deliver thousands of social rented and other genuinely affordable homes”.

Last week housing minister Kit Malthouse rejected a residents’ group’s proposal to take ownership of the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates.

Capco has been approached for comment.

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