On a damp winter's day, there are few signs of activity on the huge, empty triangle of land in west London that was once home to the Earls Court exhibition centre with its distinctive art deco facade. This has been the case for the near decade since Bombay Bicycle Club played the last ever concert at the venue, which opened in 1937 and once played host to artists such as Pink Floyd and David Bowie, as well as annual events such as the London boat show.
Plans for a new vision for Earls Court, years in the making, may finally take a step closer to realisation this year, when the firm behind the 10bn redevelopment Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) hopes to receive planning permission. Construction of almost 4,000 new homes...as well as three cultural venues, office space, shops and restaurants could begin on central London's largest empty site spanning about 18 hectares (44 acres) in 2026.
We want to restart Earls Court as a cultural destination and give people a reason to come here, says Rebekah Paczek, the director of public affairs, social impact and community relations at ECDC. She is standing on what the company calls the table, the raised concrete strip that once formed the base of exhibition centre two.
The developer says it wants to bring back the wonder to a location once known internationally for its exhibitions and events, amid plans to open up a site that was previously only accessible to ticket holders.
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