Hammersmith & Fulham has approved Imperial College’s Section 73 changes to the South Campus Masterplan at White City, allowing a revised approach to the development of the campus south of the Westway.
The approved amendments update key planning conditions relating to design, land use, sustainability, parking, electric vehicle charging and disabled parking, while keeping the wider masterplan framework in place.
The most significant change is the move to strengthen the academic presence in Development Zone 3. This supports Imperial’s plans for a new academic building focused on data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning. The building is intended to bring together computer scientists, mathematicians and business experts in one dedicated facility, creating space for collaborative research, teaching and innovation. It will also provide amenities for the wider White City community, including a café, event and exhibition spaces.
The Section 73 approval also allows an increase in academic floorspace in DZ3, alongside minor design revisions such as a higher southern building height, an adjusted upper-level setback and refinements to the colonnade limits. These changes give Imperial greater flexibility in shaping the building around the Arrival Square and Western Access Road.
Another major element of the approval is the revised servicing strategy. The previously approved basement tunnel network will be replaced by at-grade servicing, reducing conflict with pedestrian movement and supporting a more walkable campus. Car parking levels will also be reduced, and the updated approach continues to prioritise pedestrians across the public realm.
The energy strategy has likewise been amended. Instead of a CHP-powered energy centre, the campus will move to a heat pump-led system, designed to operate as an all-electric, low-carbon network. The scheme also retains the ability to connect to a wider heat network, strengthening long-term flexibility and supporting Imperial’s net-zero ambitions.
Overall, the approval gives Imperial the planning flexibility to progress a more academic, lower-carbon and pedestrian-friendly White City Campus, while advancing a new building that will expand research, teaching and innovation on the site.
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Sounds like a big step for the campus. What kind of changes are they planning to implement?