Latest news with #StopTheTowers
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
John Lewis gets green light to build hundreds of flats after appeal
John Lewis has won permission to build hundreds of new flats in west London after a successful appeal to the government inspector. The retail giant has been given the green light to build 423 new rental homes on top of its existing Waitrose store in West Ealing after officials approved the project despite opposition from locals. It comes almost two years after John Lewis Partnership (JLP) submitted a planning application for the development. The retailer launched an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate last summer after West Ealing council failed to make a decision on whether to approve the flats. Locals had been pushing for the scheme to be rejected, with campaign group Stop The Towers criticising John Lewis for ignoring concerns over the height of the tower blocks. It branded the 'arrogance of JLPs development team [as] breath-taking'. Stop The Towers also opposed John Lewis at the planning inquiry. The decision by a government inspector to side with John Lewis over the development comes as Labour races to get more new homes built. The party pledged in its manifesto to deliver 1.5m more houses in the next five years. In February, Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary who is overseeing the development drive, said there were 'no excuses to not build those homes that people desperately need'. She has pledged to speed up the planning process and said Nimbys 'no longer have the upper hand', promising to end their 'chokehold' on housebuilding. John Lewis said its rental home development would be in line with Labour's plans to get more houses built near commuter train stations to kickstart economic growth. Its scheme will be built 350 metres from the West Ealing Crossrail station. Katherine Russell, director of build-to-rent at the John Lewis Partnership, said: 'This decision underpins a clear policy commitment to supporting brownfield development close to key transport hubs. 'We will continue to work closely with local people to bring forward the development responsibly and ensure it delivers long-term benefits, both to residents and the wider community as a whole.' The West Ealing scheme is one of three flagship rental home developments being overseen by John Lewis. The partnership until recently saw housing as a way to diversify from the high street at a time when retail was under intense pressure. However, the company has since sought to refocus its efforts back on retail after an improvement in performance. Last year, it ditched a target to make 40pc of its profits from areas outside of retail by 2030, saying the economic environment had changed 'so dramatically'. It is still pushing ahead with its initial rental home projects, however. The company received approval for its first scheme, in Bromley, last July. That scheme had also faced a backlash from locals and councillors, who had pushed the partnership to add more affordable homes. John Lewis is also planning new rental homes in Reading. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
John Lewis gets green light to build hundreds of flats after appeal
John Lewis has won permission to build hundreds of new flats in west London after a successful appeal to the government inspector. The retail giant has been given the green light to build 423 new rental homes on top of its existing Waitrose store in West Ealing after officials approved the project despite opposition from locals. It comes almost two years after John Lewis Partnership submitted a planning application for the development. The retailer launched an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate last summer after West Ealing council failed to make a decision on whether to approve the flats. Locals had been pushing for the scheme to be rejected, with campaign group Stop The Towers criticising John Lewis for ignoring concerns over the height of the tower blocks. It branded the 'arrogance of JLPs development team [as] breath-taking'. Stop The Towers also opposed John Lewis at the planning inquiry. The decision by a government inspector to side with John Lewis over the development comes as Labour races to get more new homes built. The party pledged in its manifesto to deliver 1.5m more houses in the next five years. In February, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who is overseeing the development drive, said there were 'no excuses to not build those homes that people desperately need'. She has pledged to speed up the planning process and said Nimbys 'no longer have the upper hand', promising to end their 'chokehold' on housebuilding. John Lewis said its rental home development would be in line with Labour's plans to get more houses built near commuter train stations to kickstart economic growth. Its scheme will be built 350 metres from the West Ealing Crossrail station. Katherine Russell, director of build-to-rent at the John Lewis Partnership, said: 'This decision underpins a clear policy commitment to supporting brownfield development close to key transport hubs. 'We will continue to work closely with local people to bring forward the development responsibly and ensure it delivers long-term benefits, both to residents and the wider community as a whole.' The West Ealing scheme is one of three flagship rental home developments being overseen by John Lewis. The partnership until recently saw housing as a way to diversify from the high street at a time when retail was under intense pressure. However, the company has since sought to refocus its efforts back on retail after an improvement in performance. Last year, it ditched a target to make 40pc of its profits from areas outside of retail by 2030, saying the economic environment had changed 'so dramatically'. It is still pushing ahead with its initial rental home projects, however. The company received approval for its first scheme, in Bromley, last July. That scheme had also faced a backlash from locals and councillors, who had pushed the partnership to add more affordable homes. John Lewis is also planning new rental homes in Reading.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Waitrose owner wins go ahead for new west London store despite local opposition
Waitrose's owner has been given the go ahead for a huge redevelopment of its West Ealing site despite bitter opposition from many local residents. The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) won approval for the scheme when a government planning inspector upheld the company's appeal over a delayed planning decision. The current Waitrose supermarket, one of the biggest in London, will be demolished and replaced by a mixed use development including 428 rental homes – including 83 designated for affordable rent – a new public square, commercial space, a community facility and a modernised store. The development includes four towers, of 19, 17, 15 and 10 storeys, which have enraged some local campaigners. They said they were too tall for the area and would overshadow local homes. The site is just 350 metres from West Ealing's Elizabeth Line station. The planning appeal was lodged last summer on grounds of 'non-determination.' The inspector concluded that JLP's proposal aligned with the government's housing goals. In December last year, ministers updated the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to give 'substantial weight' to using brownfield land within urban areas. Labour has also backed new housing near commuter hubs to drive economic growth. But a public consultation in 2023 revealed that 96% of local residents opposed the scheme. The consultation had 653 responses to it of which 630 objected and only 16 were in favour. Opposition has been led by the Stop the Towers group, which argued that the development was 'outrageously oversized' and 'will destroy West Ealing.' But Katherine Russell, director of build-to-rent at JLP, welcomed the decision. She said: 'We're pleased that the Inspector has found in favour of the multi-million-pound investment that will create vital new housing and a modernised Waitrose store to serve a community we have been part of for decades.' She added: 'The decision underpins a clear policy commitment to supporting brownfield development close to key transport hubs. 'We will continue to work closely with local people to bring forward the development responsibly and ensure it delivers long-term benefits, both to residents and the wider community as a whole.' The project is funded by a £500m joint venture between JLP and the Aberdeen Group. Svitlana Gubriy, head of indirect real assets at Aberdeen, said: 'We are incredibly excited about the future of the build-to-rent sector, which is undergoing a transformative shift. 'With the fundamentals of demand and supply supporting steady cash flows and sustaining long-term value of the sector, the focus is increasingly shifting on fostering community engagement and addressing local needs.' She added: 'What's becoming increasingly important is social value with investors dedicating their efforts to develop residential projects that are not only financially successful but also cater to the needs of future generations. The recent developments in Ealing serve as a testament to this pivotal trend.'
