Masterplan

A catalyst for innovation and growth

Imperial’s White City Campus sits at the heart of the major transformation that is taking place across the White City area.

Part of a designated Opportunity Area within the London Plan, the 23-acre White City Campus is leading large-scale change across the neighbourhood, providing new jobs, homes, facilities and infrastructure.

White City Campus is much more than an academic hub. It brings together research, business, and the local community in a new model for university-led development — one designed to spark innovation, foster collaboration and deliver long-term benefits locally and globally.

With outline planning consent for around 4 million square feet, White City Campus is evolving in phases. Around 1.5 million square feet is already built or under construction, and we’re now working on the next phase. When complete, more than 25,000 people will live, work and study here.

Guided by environmental best practice, the campus is a catalyst for inclusive growth – a place designed to drive ground-breaking innovation, create jobs, and bring long-term benefits to local people and the wider economy.

A place designed for people

White City Campus is being designed as a place for connection and collaboration — not just for those who work and study here, but for the wider community too.

It will be an open, accessible place that prioritises people, with welcoming entrances, pedestrian- and bike-friendly routes and public spaces that connect seamlessly with the surrounding area and which brings students, staff, residents and visitors together.

A new central square will form the heart of the southern campus, offering a green, biodiverse space that responds to the seasons and the climate, with shade, shelter and planting that supports local ecology. This work supports Imperial’s broader ambitions for sustainability and aligns with our Net Zero Carbon 2040 agenda.

Public events and experiences will activate the campus year-round and foster stronger connections with the local community.

Development timeline to date

• 2009 – Imperial purchases its first parcel of land in White City (north site).
• 2013 – Imperial acquires additional land to the south, expanding the campus footprint.
• 2012–2024 – Rapid development of the north site.
• 2012: The first building, Wood Lane Studios student accommodation, opens.
• 2015: I-HUB opens.
• 2018: Molecular Science Research Hub opens.
• 2020: Sir Michael Uren Hub opens.
• 2021: Scale Space opens
• 2024: School of Public Health and Perkin’s Green open.
• 2019 – The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF) approves Imperial’s Masterplan for south campus. Development focuses on flexible buildings to co-locate businesses, researchers, academics, and community-facing retail, including cafés, restaurants and new amenities.
• 2024 – Major infrastructure works begin on the south site to support future development. A new bridge over the Central Line is constructed, connecting the campus to Wood Lane.
• 2025 – New landscaped pedestrian bridge to open connecting to Wood Lane. With work to begin on the southern public realm and the construction of a new academic facility and a new commercial innovation hub.