Australian developer Westfield has gained momentum for its long-running plans of a £1bn (US$1.6bn, €1.2bn) expansion to its retail offering at Shepherds Bush, with Hammersmith and Fulham Council rubber stamping proposals to provide local housing, community space and further retail offerings.

In terms of leisure, the expansion will see the addition of a new flagship John Lewis department store, as well as new restaurants, office space and units for other leisure offerings to move in to the White City area.

As part of the proposal, the developer is to provide £20m (US$32.1m, €24.8m) towards community developments, including 162 affordable housing units out of 1,347 homes being planned.

Westfield is to also provide a £12.5m (US$20.1m, €15.5m) support package to help develop the nearby infrastructure of White City, with the cash going towards education, public spaces and local skills development.

Other funding sees £7m (US$11.2m, €8.7m) used for transport improvements to the area, with changes made to rail infrastructure, bus capacities and connecting road networks, while £600,000 (£965,718, €746,028) will support jobs and training.

The plans have been in the offing for quite some time, with mayor of London Boris Johnson giving approval for the go-ahead earlier in the summer, however for construction to be able to start, it was paramount that the local council agreed with where the community money would be spent.

Westfield also has another offering across town in east London, where Westfield Stratford City was created to supplement the area's regeneration in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The developer last year sought to put forward plans to enhance its reputation in Stratford with designs for the UK’s biggest indoor ski facility.