London is going down hill and then some..
Admiralty Arch hotel gets go-ahead
Admiralty Arch hotel gets go-ahead
Plans to turn Admiralty Arch, the grand gateway to The Mall and Buckingham Palace in Central London, into an exclusive hotel have been recommended for approval — but at a price.
Westminster Council planning officers said that the scheme was “acceptable in heritage terms” and would secure essential investment in one of the capital’s most important landmarks but that the proposal may fail to meet the minimum social housing contribution.
In its planning submission, Prime Investors — which is headed by the Spanish financier Rafael Serrano and which made the winning £60 million bid to develop the site — offered to make a payment of £700,000.
Of this, £600,000 would be for social housing, to be developed elsewhere in the borough, and the rest for “public art”.
In a report published ahead of a committee meeting next week, Westminster’s planning officers questioned whether the sum towards affordable housing was acceptable. It is thought likely the council will push for a higher contribution.
The council has also raised concerns about the size of a member’s club, which will form part of the hotel development, and have suggested that the club’s capacity should be limited to 300 people, rather that Prime Investors’ preferred limit of 400.
The Government announced a deal in October to lease the Grade I-listed building as part of a drive to cash-in on its lucrative property portfolio in Britain and overseas.
A Westminster City Council spokesman said: “The planning committee will look at the application next Tuesday, before making a decision on what is an important building in an iconic part of the capital.”
Westminster Council planning officers said that the scheme was “acceptable in heritage terms” and would secure essential investment in one of the capital’s most important landmarks but that the proposal may fail to meet the minimum social housing contribution.
In its planning submission, Prime Investors — which is headed by the Spanish financier Rafael Serrano and which made the winning £60 million bid to develop the site — offered to make a payment of £700,000.
Of this, £600,000 would be for social housing, to be developed elsewhere in the borough, and the rest for “public art”.
In a report published ahead of a committee meeting next week, Westminster’s planning officers questioned whether the sum towards affordable housing was acceptable. It is thought likely the council will push for a higher contribution.
The council has also raised concerns about the size of a member’s club, which will form part of the hotel development, and have suggested that the club’s capacity should be limited to 300 people, rather that Prime Investors’ preferred limit of 400.
The Government announced a deal in October to lease the Grade I-listed building as part of a drive to cash-in on its lucrative property portfolio in Britain and overseas.
A Westminster City Council spokesman said: “The planning committee will look at the application next Tuesday, before making a decision on what is an important building in an iconic part of the capital.”
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