London to get biggest ever mall

A £1.6 billion proposal by Westfield for a 300 store mall in London’s Shepherd’s Bush could rival the city’s famous Oxford Street. Including some 40 restaurants, 14 screen cinema, the 150,000 sq metre glass covered complex will feature flagship stores including Marks and Spencer, Debenham, Waitrose, Next and 265 smaller shops. The project will include a £170 million transport upgrade including the redevelopment of Shepherds Bush underground, a new station on the Hammersmith & City line and new overground station on the West London mainline. US architects Gabellini Sheppard Associates have been commissioned to design Westfield Village (illustrated) within the complex. The Westfield project is being managed in-house and is projected to open in 2008.