By: Property Week
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has approved Queensgate Investments and Rockwell Property’s plans to redevelop the Kensington Forum Hotel, after the developers agreed to make all the homes in the scheme affordable.
The current Kensington Forum Hotel
The scheme will comprise a 749-room hotel and 340 serviced apartments as well as 62 new homes, all of which will be available at social rent levels.
The proposals were rejected by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in September 2018, but Khan called it in for further scrutiny in November.
Following this the developer agreed to increase the number of homes to 62 and make all of them affordable. It had previously only proposed for 20 of the original 46 homes to be affordable.
Khan said: “I welcome the developer committing to provide 100 per cent social housing in this scheme – in a borough that has consistently failed to meet its housing targets.
“I’m clear that I will do everything in my power to increase the delivery of new social rented and other genuinely affordable homes across the capital.”
Jason Kow, chief executive of Queensgate Investments, added: “Queensgate Investments is proud that the Mayor has resolved to grant this unique opportunity to create one of London’s largest hotel and service apartment schemes, whilst also delivering for the needs of the local community and Londoners alike.”