More homes agreed on former Chelsea Barracks site

A "delayed" development at Chelsea Barracks will now deliver up to 515 homes instead of 448 flats that were originally given planning consent.

Westminster City Council has approved a major change to the plans, in the hope it will encourage developers to finish the project, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The changes will see 87 apartments built across three blocks as part of Phase Five of the development, instead of 20 townhouses developer Qatari Diar originally asked for.

It said "market conditions have changed significantly" since it gained outline planning permission for the barracks master plan in 2012 and wanted to build flats "to better meet changing demand and housing need".

The scheme's final phase will include 126 affordable homes, as well as 119 market sale homes, a sports centre and medical facilities.

Resident Geoff Simpson, who has lived opposite Chelsea Barracks since 1988, urged Westminster City Council to make "developers deliver what they have promised" and told the planning committee there had been delays to the amenities "promised to the local community and to the social housing".

Qatari Diar will have to make a payment of £3.6m to the council's Affordable Housing Fund and a £655,413 payment to the council's Carbon Offsetting Fund when the latest stage of development starts.

Councillors were concerned about the delays but the planning committee decided it could not enforce a deadline for the delivery of Phase Six, the final phase of the scheme.

Plans to demolish the former army barracks and redevelop the 13-acre site with 448 homes, a sports centre and shops was agreed in 2011.

It was sold by the Ministry of Defence for £959m in 2007.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk