City Hall has officially greenlit the controversial redevelopment of the Phoenix Academy in White City, overturning a decision by Hammersmith and Fulham Council that had previously blocked the project.
The proposal, a joint venture between the school’s management, Future Academies, and developer London Square, aims to deliver a £40 million upgrade to the “Outstanding”-rated school, alongside the construction of 307 new homes. The project had faced significant local opposition, leading to its refusal by the local planning authority in April due to concerns regarding its “overbearing” design and excessive scale.
However, on September 28, the Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, Jules Pipe, overruled the local council, asserting that the urgent need for housing and upgraded educational facilities outweighed the potential heritage and design impacts.
“We are surely all aware of the urgent need to deliver more homes and particularly genuinely affordable homes if we are to tackle the housing crisis,” Mr. Pipe stated during the hearing. He emphasized that the scheme, which includes 90 social-rented homes, aligns with the broader development goals for London, noting that moderate increases in height are necessary on well-connected sites.
The project involves the demolition of older sections of the school, built between the 1950s and 2010s, to make way for a modern campus featuring new music studios, a library, and a sports hall. The residential component will consist of six blocks reaching up to eight storeys, with four education blocks rising to four storeys.
The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Lawrence Foley, Chief Executive of Future Academies, hailed the approval as a “hugely significant moment” for the school community. “For many years, we have been seeking a way to provide facilities that match the outstanding achievements of our students and teachers,” Mr. Foley said. He insisted that the proposal is the only viable path forward for the site, rejecting suggestions that the design was flawed or that alternatives existed.
Conversely, the local community remains deeply dissatisfied. The Wormholt Residents Association (WRA) had campaigned vigorously against the plans, presenting a petition with 718 signatures to the council. Local ward councillor Nicole Trehy, who led the opposition, expressed “serious concerns” over the height and bulk of the residential buildings, arguing that they would sit “uncomfortably” within the surrounding area.
“Residents consistently describe the proposal as an overdevelopment of the site,” Cllr Trehy said, adding that she believed a revised scheme could have balanced the school’s needs with the character of the neighborhood.
While the council had raised concerns regarding the loss of school land and the tenure mix of the housing, the Deputy Mayor ultimately concluded that the project, on balance, provides a public benefit that justifies its approval. Construction is now expected to proceed, providing both an academic boost to the area and a significant injection of social housing for the borough.
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