Hammersmith Road offices to be converted into 29 residential flats
Councillors have approved plans to transform offices on Hammersmith Road into residential flats, creating 29 new homes.
The Hammersmith and Fulham Planning and Development Control Committee granted planning permission and listed building consent for the conversion of the first, second, and third floors of the building at 99-119 Hammersmith Road. The new dwellings will comprise a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom units.
The approved plans also include shared amenity space in the basement, reconfiguration of office entrance cores to facilitate communal entrances for the residential units, and external alterations to the rear of the property. The basement amenity space is envisioned as a communal area for residents and could be used as a TV room, a workspace for those working from home, or a general gathering space.
External alterations to the rear of the property will include the addition of rear access doors and canopies, as well as new stairs leading to the basement level.
The development will be car-permit free. The implications for residents' access to parking or alternative transportation options beyond this status are not detailed.
A financial contribution of £900,000 towards off-site affordable housing provision was agreed as part of the Section 106 agreement, along with a late-stage review. Henry Courtier, planning consultant and agent for the applicant, highlighted the delivery of much-needed homes and sustainability benefits as key advantages of the scheme. These sustainability benefits include the use of air-source heat pumps and the financial contribution towards affordable housing.
Officers noted that the existing offices were vacant and in poor condition, having suffered from the availability of newer, higher-quality office spaces in the nearby Olympia area. The marketing information provided by the applicant indicated a lack of demand for the office space.
The proposal was presented by Neil Egerton, Team Leader for North Area Development Management, who outlined the details of the application. During the committee meeting, councillors discussed the proportion of affordable housing and how the financial contribution would be used. Matt Butler, assistant director of development management, explained that the money would go into the council's housing pot to support affordable housing provision across the borough.
Further details of the meeting, including the public reports pack, can be found here.