Westminster City Council's Planning Sub-Committee (3) has deferred a decision on extensions to the London Westbourne Hotel, pending a site visit and a daylight and sunlight report. The committee met on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, to consider several planning applications, including a proposal for lower ground and ground floor extensions to the rear infill building of the hotel at 100-102 Westbourne Terrace, W2 6QE, which would provide one additional hotel bedroom.
The decision was deferred due to significant concerns raised by local residents. These concerns encompass a range of issues including loss of amenity and privacy, overdevelopment of the site, loss of green space, and increased noise and disturbance from proposed terraces. Residents also highlighted potential loss of light to neighbouring habitable rooms and private outdoor amenity spaces, an increased sense of enclosure, and light pollution at night. Furthermore, there were allegations of inaccuracies in submitted drawings regarding neighbouring properties and site context, potential party wall implications, and the loss of trees in the rear garden. The cumulative impact of development and concerns about noise and vibration from air source heat pumps (though part of a separate application) were also raised.
Specifically, residents are worried about overlooking from enlarged windows, Juliet balconies, and terraces towards neighbouring properties, gardens, and windows. Increased noise pollution and disturbance from guest activity in external areas, particularly in enclosed courtyard spaces, and light pollution from proposed large windows and hotel operations were also cited. Queries were raised about the accuracy of drawings, missing elevations for impact assessment, and how the extension would be serviced with a reduced footprint. Allegations of unauthorised works and disagreements with the assessment of overdevelopment due to courtyard footprint reduction were also noted. Residents questioned the number of objections versus letters of support and sought clarity on the proposed single additional hotel bedroom and the drawings provided. There were also concerns about proposed flat roofs and the missed opportunity for green roofs.
Further concerns were directed at the visual impact of air-to-air heat pumps (AAHPs) and associated enclosures, including potential noise, low-frequency hum, reverberation, and vibration affecting neighbouring properties. Acoustic assessments were questioned for not fully considering real-world operating conditions or cumulative impacts. Potential overlooking from AAHP installations and maintenance access, as well as light and outlook impacts from these proposals alongside linked extension applications, were also concerns. Structural disturbance from vibration and insufficient room for replanting trees due to AAHP installations and extensions were highlighted. Residents requested the relocation of AAHPs away from shared party walls, independent acoustic assessment, and vibration isolation mounting. Relocation of rear AAHPs to main roof level or flat roof was also requested. The cumulative impact of both applications on neighbours was a significant point of contention, with requests for acoustic assessments to address basement flats and gardens as residential receptors. A lack of public consultation for specific related applications and concerns about the accuracy of updated drawings and unauthorised external works were also raised. Finally, concerns were voiced about kitchen extraction systems and associated noise and smells.
The committee has requested a site visit and a daylight and sunlight report to further assess the proposal's impact on neighbouring properties. The Council generally adheres to the standards set out in the Building Research Establishment (BRE) 'Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight: A Guide to Good Practice' (2022). Commonly used BRE methods include the Vertical Sky Component (VSC), which assesses the amount of sky visible from a window face, and the No Sky Line (NSL) test for daylight distribution. Sunlight assessments consider the proportion of annual probable sunlight hours (APSH) received by main window walls, with particular attention to winter months. These assessments will focus on daylight impacts to classrooms, ancillary educational accommodation, and hotel rooms, and sunlight impacts primarily for residential accommodation.
The London Westbourne Hotel has a history of previous planning applications for alterations and extensions. In July 2024, listed building consent was granted for internal reconfigurations across several floors. This was followed by further consent in May 2025 for similar works, which increased the number of hotel rooms from 67 to 80. In May 2026, permission was granted for the reinstatement of front lightwell windows and doors and the installation of an enlarged window facing the internal courtyard. An ongoing enforcement case exists for works to the listed building, including the installation of replacement UPVC windows on the rear elevation and rear infill extension.
The proposed extensions are situated within the Bayswater Conservation Area and are for a Grade II listed building. Objectors argued that the increased scale and mass would detrimentally impact the character of the conservation area. However, the report notes that while the extensions are substantial, they would not be unduly harmful in this instance, with any harm considered to be at the lower end of 'less than substantial', mitigated by the quality of the proposed design. The enlargement of window openings was deemed not to harm the special interest of the main listed building as they relate to modern elements. Policy 44 of the council's guidelines states that works to listed buildings must preserve their special interest and relate sensitively to the building's period and architectural detail, while development in conservation areas must preserve or enhance their character and appearance.
For more details on the committee's agenda and reports, please refer to the Agenda frontsheet, the Public reports pack, and the Printed minutes.