Plans for Dairy Crest Site to be Revealed

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Local residents invited to three drop in events

Developers planning to regenerate the former Dairy Crest site at White City will reveal their plans for the first time during a series of public consultation events this month.

Helical Bar and Aviva Investors are urging local residents to come along to one of the three drop in events they are hosting between March 23 and 26 where initial plans for the regeneration of the former Dairy Crest site, Wood Lane, will be displayed.

The two organisations have prepared plans to regenerate the site with 1,250 new homes and other amenities including shops, community facilities, a major new public garden and high quality public open space.

The new homes could offer a range of sizes from larger family housing to small homes and as well as affordable housing. The plans also provide for new jobs and employment space for start-up, small and medium sized businesses in an area renowned for attracting the creative and media industries.

While the plans are still being established the developers have already set out their aim to create a new, vibrant neighbourhood which contributes positively to White City and benefits new and existing residents.

A number of ideas are being explored, including the potential to create a ‘Not for profit building’ which could provide space for cultural and recreational uses such as a music or art studios, gallery space, sports activity or other similar uses.

Matthew Bonning-Snook, a director at Helical Bar, said: “Our proposals present an exciting opportunity to transform this site and bring new homes, jobs and facilities to the area.

Feedback from the community is extremely valuable during this stage of our plans and we would urge as many people as possible to attend our drop in events.”

The former Dairy Crest site is within the White City Opportunity Area, a larger area of land which has been identified by Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Mayor of London as a key location in the capital for major regeneration.

Drop in public consultation events will take place at Wood Lane Community Centre, Wood Lane, on 23 March from 3pm to 8pm, Phoenix School Post 16 Centre, The Curve, on 24 March from 10am to 2pm, and Harrow Club, Preston Road, on 26 March from 4pm to 8pm.

Those who are unable to attend the drop in sessions can also fill in an online consultation form on the project’s website www.whitecityw12.co.uk or contact 0207 566 7964 to discuss any queries or suggestions. A freepost questionnaire asking residents for their views has already been sent to addresses across White City.

ENDS

oves towards redeveloping the former Dairy Crest dairy in Wood Lane are unaffected by the January 31 fire which caused chaos across West London.

A spokesman for the companies behind the proposed development has confirmed this, saying: " With regard to the development proposals, Helical Bar and Aviva Investors' consultation on their regeneration proposals for the site are continuing as planned.

"The former Dairy Crest site is owned by Aviva Investors and was acquired from Dairy Crest in 2002. The site consists of a number of warehouse and storage units.

" The fire occurred within one of our tenants premises and both the owners and tenants of the site will offer full assistance to the London Fire Brigade and other agencies with any subsequent investigation in to the cause of the fire."

The fire, which began at 9.30am on Hanuary 31, caused a huge plume of smoke to rise over the Wood Lane, north of Westfield Shopping Centre, and caused chaos are roads all around were closed and public transport diverted. By evening however, the Fire Brigade announced the fire was over with no one injured.

The site, a former dairy owned by Unigate and then Dairy Crest, is to be redeveloped as part of the White City Opportunity Area, an area of land earmarked by Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Mayor of London for major regeneration.

In May last year, the developers appointed Eric Parry Architects to create a masterplan for a proposed mixed use development which will include 1,500 new homes on the 10 acre site. In November they held to the first of a series of public consultations on their plans. You can read the feedback from this event at the project's official website.

A new series of consultations will be held this year, including forums and roadshows visiting local communities. You will also be able to give your views on the site.

March 15, 2012