Former Kensal Gas Works, Kensal Canalside Opportunity Area
On 13 June 2025, the council, as local planning authority received a planning application from St William Homes LLP seeking planning permission for redevelopment of their site in the northwestern land within the Kensal Canalside Opportunity Area (KCOA). See application PP/25/03535.
The KCOA has been selected as one of London’s Opportunity Areas within the London Plan 2021 Policy SD1, and the council’s Local Plan 2024 Policy SA1 as an area for growth.
St Williams LLP have also submitted a second application for works to the Ladbroke Grove Junction and Canal Way leading to the outlined site below. See application PP/25/03536.
Further information
Summary guide of the submissions (PP/25/03535 and PP/25/03536) made by St William Homes LLP:
Where is the application site?
The application site is located in the Dalgarno ward. The site address is:
Former Kensal Gas Works
Canal Way
London
W10 5JD
The application site is shown in the area outlined in red in the map below:
What is the application for?
The application seeks planning permission for the redevelopment of Plot 3 of the wider master plan site (Kensal Canalside Opportunity Area) through the demolition of all the above ground buildings and structures and creation of a mixed-use development for residential and flexible ground floor commercial uses, with associated infrastructure.
This is a hybrid application containing outlined and detailed proposals. An outline application is about the general principles for how a site can be developed, leaving details of appearance, means of access, landscaping, layout and scale to a later stage (known as ‘reserved matters’).
The diagram below show which parts of the application are for outlined and detailed proposals: the detailed component highlighted in perforated green lines:
The outline proposals are for:
- residential floorspace and ancillary facilities
- non-residential floorspace comprising flexible commercial (Class E) at ground floor
- new pedestrian, cycle, and vehicular access
- open space and landscaping
- car and cycle parking and other associated infrastructure works
The detailed proposals are for:
- residential floorspace, approximately 241 homes
- residential facilities
- new pedestrian, cyclist, vehicular access including bus route
- open space and landscaping
- associated infrastructure and associated works
Where can I view application documents?
The planning application reference number is: PP/25/03535. The application contains and number of drawings and documents that can be viewed on the planning pages under the Documents tab.
We have provided links to some key documents taken from the application, which provides an overview of the proposals.
Overview of the proposals
- Cover letter
- Application contents page
- Planning strategy hybrid application detail and outline
- Parameters: height and massing
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Document
- Development specification
- Planning statement
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Document
- Design and access statement Part 1
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- Design and access statement Part 2
- Design code
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Document
- Environmental statement non-technical summary
- Statement of community involvement
A request for a hard copy of the Environmental Statement can be made by email to [email protected] or telephone: 020 7394 3700, quoting the reference PP/25/03535. The approximate cost of a printed hard copy of the Environmental Statement is £3,000 per copy, plus delivery cost.
How can I comment on the application?
If you have any comments about the application, use the online comment form. Comments should be provided by 19 September 2025. Comments must be submitted in writing in order to be considered in the assessment of the proposals.
We cannot respond to your comments individually due to the volume we receive but you will receive a confirmation email on receipt of your comment. All comments received will be made publicly available to view online.
How will the application be assessed?
The application will be assessed by the council’s planning officers, who will make a recommendation on whether or not to grant planning permission. Planning officers will:
- review the application
- gather information to help assess it
- visit the site.
They will ask specialist advisers to give their views on the application to help assess it.
The assessment centres around whether or not the proposals comply with planning policies contained in the development plan. Planning legislation requires planning applications to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
The development plan includes the London Plan 2021 and the council’s Local Plan 2024.
The council also has a Kensal Canalside Supplementary Planning Document (2021) which provides more detailed guidance on policies in the Local Plan.
The adopted policies in the development plan - the council’s Local Plan 2024 - remains the starting point for assessing the application.
When assessment of the application has been completed, planning officers will prepare a report explaining the recommendation to grant permission or refuse permission for the proposal. We will publish this report on the council’s website ahead of the application being presented to the council’s Planning Committee at a public meeting for their consideration as to whether or not to grant planning permission. We will advertise details of this meeting nearer the time so you can attend if you wish, and we will directly notify anyone who makes representations on the application of this date ahead of the meeting.
The application is referable to the Mayor of London. We will notify the Mayor of the outcome of the council’s Planning Committee’s consideration of the application. In their role of making strategic planning decisions, the Mayor may occasionally take over an application, thereby becoming the local planning authority. The Mayor must then hold a public representation hearing before deciding whether or not to grant planning permission.
When will a decision be made?
TBC.
What happens after the decision is made?
When the application has been decided we will publish the decision notice.
If the application is granted there will be conditions which will require the applicant to submit further details for the local planning authority’s approval. Those further applications will be advertised on the council’s website.
If the application is refused or granted with conditions the applicant thinks are unreasonable, they can appeal to the Secretary of State to overturn the decision. We will provide information about the appeal.
Timeline
- Application received: 13 June 2025
- Application validated: July 2025
- Public consultation commenced: 11 July 2025
- Public consultation ends: 19 September 2025
- Council’s Planning Committee meeting: TBC
- Application decided: TBC