A major new development at Kensal Canalside has been given the green light by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council.

After nearly three hours of debate, councillors voted four to one in favour of granting planning permission for the scheme, which has been brought forward by developer Ballymore in partnership with supermarket chain Sainsbury's.

The plans propose 2,519 new homes, including 500 affordable properties, alongside a community hub, a new supermarket, extensive public green spaces, improved transport links with cycle paths, and an extended bus route.

Following the Council's decision, the application will now be referred to the Mayor of London, a standard procedure for developments of this scale. The Mayor will decide whether to endorse the Council’s approval or call in the application for further consideration.

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Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, described the decision as a landmark moment for the borough: "This is a major milestone for the borough. We have very little space to build in Kensington and Chelsea and a very high demand for housing, so it's absolutely crucial that the opportunity is grasped with both hands at Kensal Canalside. I hope it won’t be long before the developer can get on with the job of building over 2,500 much-needed homes, 500 of those will be affordable. It will be a change for the area, but I look forward to it becoming a happy neighbourhood and a new amazing space, offering homes and community for many people in the near future."

Cllr James Husband, Chairman of the Planning Committee, added: "We gave detailed consideration to the application over almost three hours last night. The number of homes is very significant in the context of our borough and in the end the public benefit outweighed the harms. At a vote of four to one, the committee agreed to resolve to grant planning permission."