View Final Plans for Ravenscourt Park Hospital |
|
Forthcoming exhibition precedes formal planning application
October 6, 2023 Residents are invited by developer Telereal Trillium to view final plans for the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Ravenscourt Park Hospital on the west side of the park. An exhibition of the updated plans is being held at the hospital, formerly the Royal Masonic, on Tuesday 10 October between 4pm and 8pm. For those unable to attend the plans will be published on 11 October on the project website. The award-winning red brick building was constructed in 1933 and was renamed Ravenscourt Park Hospital in 2002 but closed four years later. Plans were drawn up in 2015 for it to become the London International Hospital catering for overseas patients having surgery but the scheme failed, leaving a trail of debts in its wake. Telereal Trillium's scheme envisages redeveloping the Grade II listed building and its grounds to create six separate blocks providing hundreds of new homes, a care home and a space for community use. Block A, the main entrance to the hospital, with its substantial hall and room, will become the home of a new cultural/community use open to public access. The developer however admits that finding a suitable occupier who can sustain an income that will fund the upkeep is proving challenging. Blocks B-D (the remainder of the existing building) will be converted and extended to provide around 150 new homes. Block E is a new building which will provide affordable homes, the exact size and tenure of which will be decided through discussion with the Council. Block F is a second new building which will host a care home providing approximately 60 care beds.
Telereal Trillium says the project will involve the sensitive restoration and conservation of the building which respects its heritage as well as restoring and enhancing the landscape and integrating new publicly accessible pedestrian routes through the site. However, an exhibition of earlier proposals in May this year brought sharp criticism from local residents' associations and The Hammersmith Society, who said, " As proposed, the development would harm the buildings it’s supposed to improve." The society was particularly critical of proposed extensions at the roof level of the original hospital, saying: " Restoring the Ravenscourt Hospital buildings and bringing the campus, particularly Block A into community use is a long overdue realisation of a wonderful asset, and we wholly support this project intent. "However, the current proposals are unacceptable, and would destroy the wonder of this building. The scheme design is heading in the wrong direction, and an alternative approach has to be found to realise this project." You can read the society's comments in full at on this page.
Following Tuesday's exhibition, Hammersmith residents will have the chance offer their feedback on the final plans until 24 October, before Telereal Trillium makes a formal planning application to Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
|