Vengrove, the real estate investment management firm, has partnered with Ark and Hammersmith & Fulham Council on EdCity, the redevelopment of Ark Swift Primary Academy and Harmony Neighbourhood Nursery to create an ambitious new mixed-use development with a focus on education. The redevelopment will provide approx 35,000 sqm (378,000 sq ft) of accommodation with an anticipated end value of £120million.
EdCity will consist of a redeveloped two-form entry Ark Swift Primary Academy, a 75-place nursery for Harmony Neighbourhood Nursery, a Youth Zone centre and an expanded Adult Education and Community Learning Centre. Additionally, 97,000 sq ft of affordable office accommodation will be created, to be set aside for education and social innovation charities. The goal is to create an education hub in west London, where like-minded and mission-aligned organisations can collaborate to enact positive change. The hub will also include 132 residential units, of which 50% will be affordable housing.
Ark is an international charity, transforming lives through education. They exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, their network of 35 schools educates around 24,000 pupils in areas where it can make the biggest difference. Ark also sets up ventures and partnerships that not only help pupils in our own schools, but improve education systems as a whole.
EdCity joins other major developments being constructed within the White City Opportunity Area, a regeneration project in Shepherd’s Bush.
The site is 200m from White City Place (previously BBC Studios) and 700m from Westfield Shopping Centre. EdCity is also ideally located for public transport links, with White City Underground Station (Central line) and Wood Lane Underground Station (Circle and Hammersmith and City lines) a 5-minute walk from the site.
The site will be developed in two phases in order to enable the primary school to remain operational during construction; phase one will focus on the development of the primary school, including the residential units above, the Youth Zone and Office, whilst phase two will see the completion of the Nursery, including residential units above, Adult Education and Community Learning Centre and Social Rent Residential.
Michael Clark, Deputy Chief Executive, at Ark, comments: ‘We believe that this project will not only be a boost to the White City community – providing excellent education, leisure and office facilities – but it will also be an important centre for educational innovation. EdCity will bring together organisations looking to improve the education system as a whole.”
Andrew McLean, Head of Development at Vengrove, says: “EdCity will offer huge benefits for the local community as well as creating an exciting ‘hub’ facility for third sector organisations within the education sector at a reduced cost.”
“There are so many opportunities in H&F and more being created every day, we want everyone to be able to take advantage of them,” said Cllr Sue Macmillan H&F Cabinet Member for Children and Education. “This is why we’re so glad we could play such a key role in this development – providing the land needed for it to go ahead and funding in the years to come. It will help give all young people their very best shot at everything life has to offer.”
Planning has been secured and construction is anticipated to begin Summer 2018.
