Towards the end of March Westminster City Council launched an eight week long public consultation to ask local people their thoughts on the future of the area. As part of this the policy on tall buildings in the area will be open for discussion. So too will best ways to manage growth in the Borough in the future.

The population of London as a whole is set to continue to rise over the coming years. Estimates are that it could grow by as much as 25% between now and 2041. This would result in a huge additional demand for all kinds of properties, from housing to community buildings, retail, and leisure. All of this will re-shape the capital, including central areas like Westminster. Planning needs to start now for this to happen without a huge upheaval.

The public consultation shows that the local council is considering the wishes of existing residents. It is also a great way to focus future property investment in the City of Westminster. This will be very important to ensure that the investments result in the best possible returns.

One of the big challenges will be protecting the character and heritage of the area. This is why discussions into tall buildings and growth are so necessary. Although space is limited the Council can’t simply allow all projects to construct towers throughout the area. This would cause irreparable damage.

Alternative options will need to be found to accommodate all of the growth without needing to create so many new towers. Strategies such as adding extra storeys to existing buildings and building behind facades could both be better. They would help to protect the character and heritage of the area.

At Finefair we are happy to see the Council putting so much effort into considering their plans for property investment in the City of Westminster. We do the same thing when we work with clients, helping them to address their needs and decide on the perfect strategy. This is important to achieving goals and getting the best returns.