3,500 new homes for North Kensington

The 18-acre brownfield site to the rear of the Sainsbury's superstore at the north end of Ladbroke Grove is to be developed. In a joint venture Sainsbury's and construction firm Ballymore plan to build up to 3,500 houses on the site. A second partnership called St. William between the Berkeley Group and National Grid which owns the gasworks part of the site will develop that area.

The site is bound to the south by the mainline railway and to the north by the Grand Union Canal. Some preliminary work has already started there. You may have noticed that the two disused gasometers that used to loom over the Grand Union Canal and were visible from the Sainsbury's car park have already been dismantled. They were a remnant of the days when the site was a gasworks up until 1970.

The gasometers have already disappeared

As well as the new homes, plans include provision for retail, leisure and community facilities, as well as a new park. The current Sainsbury's will be replaced by a brand new store. The developers have committed to keeping the current Sainsbury's open until the new one is ready for business.

The Golborne Forum will be keeping a close eye on the plans as they evolve. While welcoming the development, the Forum's chair, Roger Roberts said that there were significant concerns about traffic volumes, the number of affordable homes and access routes to the site.

Drone footage of the Kensal Canalside site

3,500 new homes for North Kensington

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