Plans include new offices for 11,000 workers in White City, Shepherds Bush and the A40.
At the Leader's Committee Meeting on 27 July, Labour approved the "White City Development Area - A Framework for Development" which calls for a massive office development around White City and a paltry amount of much needed housing.
Labour has approved the planning framework for creating commercial buildings for 11,000 workers over the next 10-15 years in the area between White City, Shepherds Bush and the A40. Labour claims this development
will bring much needed jobs to the area. 1,200 homes are also to be included in the development. Sustainable are to be used in the construction of the development.
The LibDems believe the area needs homes, not offices. White City has very good transport links to Paddington and King's Cross where huge office developments are being built now. The problem is that residents lack the skills and training needed to fill the jobs that are currently a short tube ride away. According to the Hammersmith and Fulham Unitary Development Plan, the borough faces a shortage of over 10,000 homes. Double digit house price increases mean residents cannot afford to live in their own borough.
Hammersmith & Fulham Liberal Democrat spokesman Jon Burden said: "This development will bring 10 times more jobs to the borough than
houses. This means thousands of commuters clogging our roads and
overwhelming public transport. It also means thousands of people moving
into the borough to live closer to their new offices causing even more
pressure on housing. Either way, local residents lose out."
The Framework document talks about using sustainable principles to build a
massive development with large office blocks. Lib Dems want sustainable
principles to govern the entire concept of the development. A truly
sustainable development would be a mix of buildings for homes, liesure
facilities, small businesses, social enterprise units and not-for-profit
organisations that meet local needs. Small businesses are far more likely
to hire local people and offer services that local residents can support."
Labour rebuffed Lib Dem demands that these principles be followed and our
call for more homes. They claim this is because the borough's UDP has
designated the area as an employment zone.
Jon Burden continued: "The UDP calls for more jobs, more homes and more sustainable development
in our borough. Labour seem incapable of realising the harm in only
focusing on more jobs. We should be investing in people and communities.
Instead, Labour is promising more of the type of massive development that
brings profits to developers and problems to residents."
August 29, 2004