12-storey Dark Kitchen Tower Planned for North Acton
Building would contain 260 units with an estimated 1,200 staff
A visualisation of the planned building on Wales Farm Road
. Picture: Dowen Farmer Architects
August 10, 2023
Plans have been drawn up for a 12-storey building in North Acton which would contain 260 ‘dark kitchens’.
These are commercial kitchens used to facilitate orders from online delivery apps such as Deliveroo and Just Eat.
The designs have been made by Dowen Farmer Architects for the Dephna Group on Wales Farm Road which already operates dark kitchens from Portal Way as well as other across the borough. The existing three storey building would be demolished.
It is claimed that 1,200 people would work at the development and there would also be a substantial number of delivery riders needed to facilitate the order.
It is anticipated that a significant proportion of orders will come from students in the nearby towers but, if built, the facility is likely to be a major blow to other food businesses in the Acton area relying on income from deliveries as competition will be significantly increased. However, for people who regularly get food delivered through apps, choice is likely to be significantly expanded.
There would also be a foodhall on the upper ground floor level which, it is understood, would allow people to make orders from the kitchens above for delivery to their table.
There would be a food hall at the upper ground floor level. Picture: Dowen Farmer Architects
A previous proposal for the site by Scott Brownrigg envisages a ‘Culinary Quarter’ which was a mixed use scheme with an emphasis on the food industry built around a public square with two towers of 35 floors and 25 floors. It would have contained 376 flats including those for students. This received approval from Ealing Council but is now deemed to be no longer viable.
Dephna's current building at the site. Picture: Google Streetview
We have been unable to find details of any planning application for the dark kitchen tower on the Ealing Council web site and have approached Dowen Farmer Architects for comment.
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