A feng shui expert has claimed the location of the proposed Earls Court development will put Asian investors off buying homes there.
Jan Cisek, London’s top feng shui expert with more than 25 years experience, has said the positioning of high rise apartment blocks next to Brompton Cemetery and four busy railway lines where a nuclear train passes once a week is ‘highly unfavourable’ for people from the Far East looking to invest in the new development.
Feng shui is a 3,500-year-old discipline which studies how environments affect people and is held in high regard by people from countries such as Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, where feng shui experts’ opinions will be sought out while designing a building and also by many business people and residents once a year to ensure they will be most prosperous in the coming year.
Many major Western companies around the world, including Coca Cola, British Airways, the NHS and Orange, also ensure the good feng shui of a building, room or logo.
Developer Capco has had all its £8 billion plans approved and will start demolishing the two famous exhibition centres this month while the demolition of the neighbouring West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates has not been confirmed and opponents are still battling to save the estates .
Mr Cisek, founder of The Feng Shui Society for accredited UK and European consultants, said: “The proposed Earls Court development would overlook Brompton Cemetery which is highly unfavourable as it’s an active cemetery where funerals take place and people go to visit graves.
“From a feng shui standpoint it’s considered unlucky to live near a cemetery. These are not auspicious places because they are viewed as ‘yin’ areas (places which can drain your energy) that can affect ones’ health and prosperity. From a psychological point of view it’s quite understandable – one doesn’t want to be reminded about death every time one approaches home or looks out the window.”
Many of the 7,500 homes - with 11 per cent affordable - to be built will most likely be bought off plan by investors from countries where bad feng shui is a deal breaker.
Mr Cisek said as London is a very cosmopolitan place, taking into account how other cultures and people with different mindset and views will perceive particular locations for investment is paramount.
Another major feng shui issue with the Earls Court area is its location next to busy railway lines which Mr Cisek says is bad because they create lots of fast moving energy which can create feelings of instability and unease for people living nearby.
He also noted that once a week a nuclear waste train passes by and said: “No matter how safe nuclear waste trains might be – I wouldn’t like my home to be situated near radioactive waste wagons trundling past throughout the year.”
Mr Cisek was asked for his opinion by the Earls Court Action Group, made up of The Association of Event Organisers, The Friends of Brompton Cemetery, West Kensington and Gibbs Green Estates residents and residents of Earls Court and North End Wards. He was not paid.
An interview with Mr Cisek is available in Chinese on their website, saveearlscourt.com
Getwestlondon is waiting for a comment from Capco.
