The previously-approved plans were refined last year to separate the residential elements from the retail and leisure facilities and include a new John Lewis department store.

Enabling works are due to start this year with main construction getting underway in 2015 with an expected opening of Christmas 2017.

Residential will be delivered in a number of phases after the retail parts are finished.

Once built, Westfield London will be the biggest shopping centre in Europe linking Shepherd’s Bush Town Centre and Kensington and Chelsea to the White City Opportunity Area.

The development immediately north of the existing centre includes up to:
·         61,840 sq m of retail space in the form of an extension to Westfield London and John Lewis’ first west London four-level department store

·         8,170 sq m of space for restaurants and cafes

·         2,065 sq m of office space

·         3,500 sq m of leisure facilities

·         1,600 sq m of community space

·         Up to 1,522 new homes across the site

Duncan Bower, Director of Development at Westfield, said: “The approval of our Westfield London expansion is an important part of our £3.5bn+ development pipeline in the UK and Europe.

“This investment in Westfield London after just five years since opening is a testament to the strength of this centre and its market which attracts the best UK and international retailers and generates current annual sales of close to £1bn from nearly 28m customer visits.”