Boris approves Westfield London £1bn expansion

Designed by Allies and Morrison, the scheme will be anchored by a 21,000m² John Lewis department store and will also include restaurants and cafés, office space, a children’s play area and a new leisure complex.

According to the AJ’s sister publication Construction News, Westfield will build 1,347 homes as part of the expansion, including 162 affordable homes, at least 40 per cent of which will be social rented.

The development sits within the White City Opportunity Area - one of more than 30 areas designated by the mayor of London with significant capacity for new housing, commercial and other development.

John Lewis’s head of format development Tim Harrison said: ‘This is very positive news. We will continue to work closely with Westfield during the next design stage and towards delivery of the shop for 2017.’

Other developments in White City include the redevelopment of the former BBC Television Centre by developer Stanhope [with AHMM, Duggan Morris, HOK and Maccreanor Lavington] and a new campus for Imperial College, London.

On approving the scheme Johnson said: ‘Westfield has had a transformational impact on Shepherds Bush and White City, kickstarting widespread social and economic regeneration.

‘This expansion will create thousands of much-needed new homes and jobs and ensure that the area remains one of West London’s leading shopping destinations for many years to come.’