Client: Soho Estates, Warwick Street
Gerald Eve LLP advised Soho Estates and Mark Fuller in securing planning permission and listed building consent for the change of use of 18-20 Warwick Street, London W1 from office (Class B1) use to an boutique hotel (Class C1).
The grade II listed building, which is owned by Soho Estates, occupies an enviable position in the heart of the West End, close to the amenities of Regent Street, Piccadilly and Soho. The site is located in the Soho and Chinatown Conservation Area.
The new hotel provides 30 unique and individually designed bedrooms, along with supporting facilities, including a high quality restaurant and bar. Gerald Eve LLP worked closely with Soho Estates and Mark Fuller to ensure the hotel was able to deliver the best possible level of accommodation. Planning permission and listed building consent for the original change of use was secured by Gerald Eve LLP in February 2006. The development was then further enhanced through a number of additional planning permissions secured by Gerald Eve LLP throughout 2007 and 2008, which included a number of enhancements to the original scheme, including the development of a roof extension.
There were a number of significant planning challenges to overcome is securing the best and most viable scheme. These included careful consideration and justification of the operational and amenity issues associated with the introduction of the new hotel as well as relevant design and heritage considerations to secure implementation. The entire process was co-ordinated by Gerald Eve LLP and we worked closely with both clients and Westminster City Council to secure planning permission and listed building consent at each relevant stage in the process.
The building is now the home of the 'Soho Sanctum Hotel' managed and operated by Mark Fuller. The hotel was subject to its own TV series, which chartered the progression of the project from planning to implementation. The hotel opened in 2009.
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