Westminster Council's Planning Sub-Committee has reviewed plans for an expansion of the St Martin's Lane Hotel, but the proposal has met with objections from local groups and residents.
The application, considered at the meeting on Tuesday, sought permission to add two-storey extensions to the northern and southern elevations, as well as a single-storey extension at the main roof level, potentially adding 62 hotel rooms to the existing building, bringing the total to 267. The Director of Planning recommended conditional permission, subject to a Section 106 agreement to secure financial contributions of £53,465 towards the Carbon Offset Fund and £18,916.20 towards local employment and training initiatives.
However, the Covent Garden Community Association, the Quakers meeting house, the London Coliseum, and three neighbouring residents have voiced objections. Their concerns primarily revolve around the design of the extensions and the potential impact on local amenities, specifically loss of light, sense of enclosure/overbearing impact, loss of privacy, and noise from plant and servicing. Objections have been received from residents in Bedfordbury (Hop House, Daveys Court and Duval Court) and the Quakers meeting House, which has meeting/therapy rooms and an ancillary flat facing onto Hop gardens.
The Director of Planning's recommendation of conditional permission was based on an assessment of the proposed development against the policies in the adopted City Plan 2019-2040 and London Plan. The proposals are considered acceptable in land use, sustainability, environmental, design, amenity and highways terms, for the reasons set out in the report ITEM 2 - 45 ST MARTINS LANE LONDON WC2N 4HX. The development is therefore recommended for approval subject to the conditions set out in the draft decision letter and the completion of a S106 legal agreement.
The Planning Sub-Committee (1), including Councillor Patrick Lilley (Deputy Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Lead Member for Soho and LGBTQ+ Champion) and Councillor Md Shamsed Chowdhury (Deputy Cabinet Member - Streets and Lead Member - Edgware Road Champion), also considered other applications at the meeting, including proposals for Tate Britain and the Trocadero.
