St William, a Berkeley Group company, has secured planning consent to restore and repurpose the Grade II* listed Gasholder No.2 at King’s Road Park.
The proposal allows for the careful dismantling, refurbishment and re-erection of the historic structure, preserving key architectural elements while integrating them into a new, thoughtfully designed public space.
The restoration of the gasholder sits at the centre of the major brownfield regeneration project, which will deliver around 1,800 private and affordable homes and six acres of public open space.
The project will also provide 70,000 sq ft of commercial and community space and restore several historic assets, including the gasholder, war memorials, the former research laboratory and the chief engineer’s office.
Dean Summers, divisional managing director, St James and St William, said: “Reviving this beautiful listed gasholder is central to the vision for King’s Road Park and we’re delighted to have received approval from Hammersmith & Fulham Council. The restored structure will be a fantastic local landmark and we are extremely proud to celebrate and preserve this fascinating piece of industrial history. I would also like to thank the team at Historic England for their proactive and collaborative support throughout the application process, which has helped us to shape an extremely high quality and deliverable design.”
Tom Foxall, regional director at Historic England, added: “We’re delighted with St William’s plans for the Grade II* listed Fulham Gasholder, the oldest surviving gasholder in the world. This thoughtful proposal will secure the long-term future of this unique piece of pioneering Georgian engineering and allow its removal from our Heritage at Risk Register.
“For the first time in its history, the public will be able to experience the gasholder’s intricate wrought-iron truss structure as part of an exciting new public space. These plans demonstrate how sensitive restoration can breathe new life into our industrial heritage, an approach St William are championing across many of their sites.”
