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Tesco Town to set up shop with tower in Earl’s Court
Ruth Bloomfield14 May 2009
The era of “supermarket suburbs” is coming to London as Tesco prepares to build a skyscraper with family flats, shops and a health centre.
The supermarket giant already supplies mortgages and home insurance. Now it has been told its plan to build hundreds of apartments in west London has won the support of planners in Kensington and Chelsea.
The project — nicknamed “Tesco Town” — would include a supermarket, crèche, health centre and square. A planning application is expected this year based on the council's report on the site at 100 West Cromwell Road.
The report includes an option for a building 110 metres tall, dwarfing Trellick Tower which stands at 98 metres. There would be a lack of on-site parking to discourage car ownership, with space for vehicle-sharing clubs and facilities for electric cars instead.
Each flat would need a bicycle parking space and rainwater would be collected and used. There would also be a green roof to attract wildlife. Rowan Moore, the Standard's architecture critic, said: “Outside London Tesco Towns are a truly depressing invention: the supermarket becomes the town square, café, market and centre of all life. In London it will hopefully be different.”
He added: “Low, sprawling, groundeating supermarkets are a curse of cities. If the space above them can be used for flats, that is welcome. I wouldn't want to live in Tesco-ville, however, I'd feel too much like a packet of frozen peas staked on one of their shelves.”
Tesco and developer Brookfield have spent eight years trying to get permission to build at the site. Two designs were rejected for not being “exceptional”. A third scheme, put forward last year, has not been ruled on but the council has indicated it is not enthusiastic.
It asked Tesco to invite architects to enter a competition to design the tower. Now the council has produced a draft master plan for the site calling for a design of “outstanding architectural quality”. It wants at least a quarter of the flats to be family-sized with three or more bedrooms, and 10 per cent to be wheelchair accessible.
Half of the tower must be affordable housing, earmarked for key workers and those on a low income. There must be a community sports facility on site, as well as a crèche.
A spokeswoman for Kensington and Chelsea said the plan would be considered this summer. A spokesman for Tesco said he could not comment until the council had made its decision.
Last month Tesco ditched plans to build 562 homes and a superstore off the Tolworth roundabout in Kingston, citing financial reasons. Similar projects off Old Kent Road and Woolwich were opposed by planners.
Reader views (5)
It would be good if Tesco gave all its programming and computer work to local companies. I understand most of it ends up in India. Local British people who support the supermarket are largely excluded. The same happens to banks where work is sent overseas. I especially wish to point out AOL where we are as clients try to get customer support and end up in India speaking to people who speak English badly and understand it even worse. You get circular arguments and nothing done. Isn't it about time this work was given back to British people?
- Peter, Camberley UK, 14/05/2009 22:11
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THis is bound to be a real eyesore.
Kensington and Chelsea are not known for their abundance of taste and cultural savvy, after all, they bought us the desecration of the WestWay environs and the uglification of North Kensington.
Where there's money the Planning department are indifferent to melding in with the old and beautiful.
Another kick in the face for London.
- Minnie Ovens, London, UK, 14/05/2009 20:24
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What a ghastly proposal. I live nearby and object to our council money being wasted on objecting to this wretched proposal. Stick it out on an industrial estate in a down at heal part of London.
I am sick of the sight of anything Tesco.
- Michael, Kensington, UK, 14/05/2009 20:04
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Reminds me of the time when you see the old films about the mill owners and mine bosses who owened the property and they used the company store all the cash back to the company boss
- Terry Chambers, London, 14/05/2009 19:04
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there's planning on doing this in Hackney too
- Ed, London, 14/05/2009 19:04
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