The Soho Society has voiced its opposition to a proposal concerning The London Pavilion, 1 Piccadilly, which seeks advertisement consent for scaffolding shrouds featuring a printed image of the building and illuminated advertising areas until 31 December 2025. The application proposes the retention of a scaffolding shroud with a 1:1 printed image of the building and the display of three inset illuminated advertising areas measuring 10.9m x 9.0m, 7m x 9.0m and 10.9m x 9.0m respectively.
The Planning Sub-Committee (2) of Westminster Council convened on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, to discuss the application, among other planning matters.
The key considerations for the committee, chaired by Councillor Sara Hassan (Deputy Cabinet Member - Equalities and Skills and Lead Member - Women and Girls' Champion), included the advertisement panels' impact on the Grade II listed building, the Soho Conservation Area, and nearby heritage assets. The Soho Society has objected on the grounds of impact on the listed building, conservation area, streetscape and views, and the cumulative impact of new advertisements.
Despite these concerns, the Director of Town Planning & Building Control recommended granting advertisement consent for a temporary period until 31 December 2025. The Director's recommendation is based on previous appeal decisions on this site, where planning inspectors concluded that advertisements of this scale and prominence do not harm the significance of designated heritage assets. The Public reports pack states, Through successive appeals on this site, two planning inspectors have concluded that advertisements of this scale and prominence do not harm the significance of designated heritage assets. The currently proposed non-digital, temporary advertisements are therefore not considered to cause harm to the special interest of the host building or to the character or appearance of the Soho Conservation Area.
The report also notes that Piccadilly Circus, where the London Pavilion is located, is a uniquely vibrant and commercial part of Westminster. It is home to the Piccadilly Lights, a very large, high-level illuminated advertisement that has been in place since the early twentieth century. This longstanding area of advertisements has been recognised as an exception to Westminster's policy and practice of resisting large-scale, high-level illuminated advertisements.
Other members in attendance at the Planning Sub-Committee (2) meeting included Councillor Paul Fisher, Councillor Ellie Ormsby (Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Renters and Armed Forces Champion), Councillor James Small-Edwards (Deputy Cabinet Member - Regeneration), and Councillor Barbara Arzymanow. The Agenda frontsheet outlined the items to be discussed during the session.
