West London Residents Rally Against Massive School Redevelopment Proposal
A West London residents' association has mobilized significant community opposition against proposed redevelopment plans for Phoenix Academy, gathering hundreds of signatures in protest against what they describe as an "enormous" development project.
Petition Against 300+ Homes and School Refurbishment
The Wormholt Residents Association (WRA) has collected 717 signatures objecting to Future Academies' proposal to build more than 300 new homes alongside a comprehensive refurbishment of Phoenix Academy on the White City Estate. Association representatives Nicki McElligott and Julian Vallis recently delivered the petition to Hammersmith and Fulham Council, expressing frustration that community concerns have been disregarded.
"The community felt they had not been listened to by Future Academies," Mr. Vallis told reporters, emphasizing that residents see no valid justification for the project's massive scale. The development would include 307 residential units, with 90 designated as affordable housing for social rent, alongside educational improvements including a new sports hall, library, and music studios.
Consultation Process Described as 'Sham'
Residents have raised serious concerns about the consultation process, with the association describing it as fundamentally flawed. Ms. McElligott reported that 75-80% of residents she spoke with during door-knocking campaigns were completely unaware of the proposed development, including parents with children at Phoenix Academy.
"These were people maybe two roads away from the school," she explained. "They had no idea this was about to happen or why. They'd not heard anything. Even parents from Phoenix school were misinformed."
The association's formal objection highlights multiple procedural failures, noting that a September follow-up consultation event only occurred after significant lobbying from residents. Many community members were away during initial July exhibitions, effectively disenfranchising them from the planning process.
Scale and Heritage Concerns Dominate Objections
Mr. Vallis emphasized that the fundamental concern revolves around the development's physical dimensions. "It's more than 30 metres high," he stated, "which is more than twice as high as even the tallest building in the conservation area. It's higher than Wormwood Scrubs Prison. So it's enormous."
The association's detailed objection raises several critical issues:
- Heritage Impact: Potential harm to the conservation area due to building height and scale
- Safeguarding Concerns: Possible surveillance issues affecting nearby schools
- Infrastructure Strain: Worries about existing services coping with additional residents
- Parking and Healthcare: Limited car parking spaces and insufficient doctor appointments already problematic
School's 'Outstanding' Rating and Maintenance Backlog
Phoenix Academy, an 'Outstanding'-rated coeducational secondary school and sixth form in north Hammersmith and Fulham, consists of buildings constructed between the 1950s and 2010s. Future Academies assumed management in 2016, inheriting a maintenance backlog estimated to require £30-40 million for comprehensive refurbishment.
The redevelopment would primarily affect western buildings described by the school as "outdated, underused and unsafe." Proposed structures include four education blocks up to four storeys tall and six residential buildings reaching eight storeys.
Developer's Perspective and Community Benefits
A spokesperson for Future Academies defended the proposal, stating it would deliver "lasting benefits for the wider community" while addressing London's housing crisis. "In Hammersmith and Fulham alone, more than 1,300 households are currently living in temporary accommodation," they noted, emphasizing the project's 90 affordable homes.
The spokesperson added: "We are determined to ensure that the facilities match the first-class education that Phoenix Academy already provides. To maintain this standard of excellence for decades to come, investment must be made into the facilities so that they are fit for purpose for the next 50 years."
Political Involvement and Decision Process
Labour councillor Nicole Trehy, representing the Wormholt ward, attended the petition submission. Although she serves on the planning committee that will ultimately decide the application, she has committed to recusing herself from relevant meetings to maintain impartiality.
The association has proposed alternative approaches, including a strategic linked-site merger with White City Central, a scheme approved by the council in April of the previous year. Residents emphasize they are not opposed to development in principle but insist it must be "sensitive to the community" and properly consult all stakeholders.
As the planning process continues, the significant community opposition highlights growing tensions between development needs and resident concerns in West London's evolving urban landscape.
