Arup report reveals how London’s ambitious development project will deliver UK-wide benefits in jobs, housing and investment

13.09.25 – London, UK: The transformational plans for the redevelopment of the former Earls Court Exhibition Centre site will deliver up to £3 billion a year and generate a £20 ROI to the UK for every £1 of investment once complete, a new report by Arup has revealed today.

Earls Court is one of the UK’s most significant economic growth opportunities. The in-depth report shows how the ambition for a new neighbourhood embracing innovation, culture and sustainability will create and support a supply chain generating up to 23,500 jobs across the country.

The Earls Court Development Company’s (ECDC) masterplan is a radical transformation that will see the largely derelict site come alive with music, invention, entertainment, and homes. A network of Exhibition Gardens will celebrate nature as a golden thread with 20 acres of open space and public realm.

The site will provide a home for the burgeoning climate innovation sector with 2.5million sq. ft. of workspace bringing innovators, investors and corporates together within one ecosystem. 

Arup’s report shows how this shovel-ready brownfield site will deliver on key Government economic and strategic priorities, including the new Industrial Strategy. Supporting research, entrepreneurship, and low-carbon construction, Earls Court will be a national asset in the UK’s economic future. The development in Earls Court will have an impact of immense significance:

  • Contributing up to £3bn GVA per year to the UK economy once complete.
  • Up to 12,000 jobs on site and 23,500 jobs overall created and supported across innovation, creative industries, construction, local services and the UK supply and knowledge chain.
  • c.4,000 new homes delivered, targeting 35% affordable.
  • 2.5m sq. ft. of workspace to provide a home for the climate innovation sector in the UK. 
  • A cultural ecosystem with three new venues and major public realm investment.
  • An 18-year construction programme, delivering sustained skills, employment and training opportunities, directly supporting up to 3,000 jobs and £340m of economic impact per year.
  • Increase in local spend by up to £75m per annum.
  • Strategically located as part of WestTech London, directly delivering on Upstream London, the London Growth Plan and the UK Industrial Strategy.

The development will make a major contribution to the Government’s target of delivering 1.5 million new homes this Parliament, building high-quality housing on brownfield land. It will deliver the community infrastructure needed for long-term neighbourhood success, demonstrating how design-led, urban development can tackle the housing crisis by creating inclusive, sustainable places to live.

The Earls Court site is uniquely positioned to meet national, regional and local ambitions for growth, sustainability and social impact. With planning applications awaiting determination, Earls Court will become a blueprint for future generations.

Interim uses of the site have already drawn over 900,000 visitors to landmark attractions including the global premieres of the BBC Earth Experience and Come Alive: The Greatest Showman Spectacular, delivering £28.6 million in GVA, £24.8 million in social value, and £51.5 million in additional local spend.

Rob Heasman, chief executive of ECDC, said: “This report puts numbers behind our vision for Earls Court showing the transformation of this derelict site can deliver up to £3 billion in annual economic value and create tens of thousands of jobs. Arup’s analysis confirms what we’ve long believed: this is one of the most significant development opportunities in the UK. But beyond the figures, this is about people – the jobs it will support, the homes it will provide, and the community it will help build.”

Joanna Rowelle, Director at Arup UKIMEA, said: “ECDC’s vision for the redevelopment of Earls Court illustrates how large-scale regeneration can deliver lasting economic, social and environmental value. Our analysis highlights its potential to provide new jobs, homes and community spaces while also plugging into the national economy. We are proud to contribute to an initiative that will put Earls Court back on the global map as a resilient, inclusive and sustainable place to live, work and visit.”

Jace Tyrrell, CEO at Opportunity London, said: “The economic impact of the proposals at Earl’s Court cannot be overstated.  £3bn a year and supporting 23,500 jobs right across the country is of huge significance both to London and UK plc. The plans will also create a dedicated home for clean and climate tech business in London, complementing and strengthening the city’s emerging ecosystem in this space, as well creating a major new destination for all Londoners. Projects like this going forward are absolutely vital to achieve the growth objectives of both the Country and the Capital.”