With the completion of King’s Cross, attention has shifted to Earls Court, now the largest redevelopment scheme in central London. Spanning 44 acres on the site of the former exhibition centre, the masterplan promises 4,000 new homes – 35% of them affordable – alongside three cultural venues and 20 acres of public realm. But ensuring that these new public spaces are genuinely welcoming and inclusive requires more than just good intentions.

Studio Egret West and Hawkins\Brown are leading the masterplan, with landscape design by SLA, the Copenhagen-based practice founded by Stig Lennart Andersson. The hybrid planning application, submitted in summer 2024, outlines a vision for phase one that includes cultural venues and a 4.5-acre urban park. 

Enter the public realm inclusivity panel (PRIP), an independent group tasked with shaping the development’s open spaces through ongoing consultation. Comprising a diverse mix of local voices, from young people to older residents and those with disabilities, the PRIP is playing a long-term role in ensuring that Earls Court’s public realm serves the needs of all who will use it.

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