A proposal has been submitted to demolish the historic Whiteleys shopping centre, retaining only the façade, and to replace it with a major development, designed by Foster and Partners, which will include two residential towers up to 10 storeys high. The twin towers will dominate the skyline of the Bayswater Conservation area and will block daylight from flats in Kensington  Gardens Square and Queensway. The developers plan to dig down to 3 basement levels, risking subsidence to neighbouring buildings and displacement of ground water and increasing flooding risk in the area. The plan means removing huge quantities of earth, with up to 90 major construction vehicle movements a day through Bayswater’s narrow roads, endangering road safety and disrupting traffic flow over a four year period. There is no plan for affordable housing or public parking, and little or no benefit for local people. As local residents, we would welcome sensitive redevelopment of this historic building. However, we believe the height of the development should be capped at a maximum of 5 storeys, and the depth should be limited to two basement levels. We call on Westminster City Council to withhold planning permission until the developers have amended their plans to ensure this development offers real benefits to the community, is on a scale in keeping with the Conservation Area, protects the right to light of existing residents and is managed in a way which minimises noise and disruption for Bayswater residents.