Boris Johnson believes west London development will be 'important driver for the capital's entire economy'

Plans for a major development in west London, which were rejected by the local councils, is to be decided by the mayor.

Using his planning powers for only the second time, Boris Johnson has called in plans for the Southall Gas Works site, after Ealing and Hillingdon councils, whose boundaries the development will cross, refused it planning permission. The plans include about 20,000m2 of retail space, restaurants, bars, cafes, a hotel, a cinema, and sports facilities. It would also deliver up to 3,750 new homes - including 1,100 affordable ones.

Johnson said: “This proposal clearly meets the test of a planning application of major significance to London with the homes it will deliver and the jobs it will create. Failure to develop this key brownfield site could be detrimental to the future economic prosperity of west London, which is an important driver for the capital's entire economy. I therefore believe it is right that I scrutinise this application in greater detail.”

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