Three key sites in Nine Elms on the South Bank, London, including New Covent Garden Market, have been approved by Wandsworth and Lambeth Councils’ planning committees. 

The approvals include a resolution to grant planning permission for the overhaul of the historic New Covent Garden Market, which will lead to the creation of 2,491 new homes, shops, cafes, bars, commercial space and a 200-bed hotel. 

Jan Lloyd, chief executive of Covent Garden Market Authority, said: “New Covent Garden Market is a huge asset to London and the UK and our plans will see modern new market facilities and a new centre for food and flowers for London developed on the site.  This will be paid for by developing 2,450 homes, shops, commercial space, a hotel and public open space on land not needed for the new market.

“We have to be realistic that a new market is still some years away but, as you can imagine, we are also incredibly enthusiastic about what lies ahead.  We now look forward to continuing discussions with Wandsworth Council and the Greater London Authority to finalise our permission and working together with our selected private development partner.” 

A spokesperson for VSM Estates, the joint venture between St. Modwen and VINCI which has been selected preferred bidders for the site, added: “The resolution to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of New Covent Garden Market is excellent news and we look forward to delivering this exciting project for London.”

Wandsworth Council also approved the development of One Nine Elms, which will replace the existing Market Towers and provide a focal point for the area’s tall building cluster. The development will provide 487 new homes, office space and a public viewing gallery for local residents. Last week Lambeth Council approved Sainsbury’s redevelopment scheme which will include both updates to the store and also the creation of 700 new homes.

At 450 acres, Nine Elms on the South Bank is the biggest redevelopment zone in Central London.  More than 1,000 new homes are currently under construction and another 12,000 are in the planning pipeline. 

The approvals provide further contributions for the proposed Northern Line Extension, which would link Nine Elms to the underground network.

Helen Fisher, programme director for Nine Elms on the South Bank, said: “The recent flurry of activity here in Nine Elms shows the progress we are making in developing this new Central London district.  Not only do we now have many sites approved, but work is well under way on other sites with 1,000 homes already in the construction phase.”

Wandsworth Council’s planning chairman Cllr Nick Cuff added: “By the time the process is complete this old industrial area will have become an ultra modern district on the South Bank, complete with new parks, a public market, two more tube stations, new cultural attractions and all sorts of exciting new businesses. It will be a remarkable transformation.”