Planning and Development

We were instructed by the client to assist in bringing forward a major office-led redevelopment scheme in the heart of Mayfair.

The driving principle behind the redevelopment was to deliver a replacement building of exceptional design with enhanced office floorspace and improved overall efficiency, providing active frontages at ground floor level. We developed the planning strategy and managed the application process which included extensive consultation with the Council, GLA and stakeholders to bring forward development proposals for the site.

We secured resolution to grant planning permission from the City of Westminster via a virtual planning committee, with the scheme receiving praise from officers and members of the planning committee. In total, the scheme will deliver circa 30,000 sqm of Grade A office floorspace, with circa 6,800 sqm of additional office floorspace compared to the existing building and the provision of around 2,250 sqm of floorspace across a range of town centre uses. The development also secures the delivery of affordable housing units at 2-4 Castle Lane, SW1.

Bringing forward a viable development on this site which has lain vacant for many years following a previous permission for a build-to-rent-led scheme which was never built out. Additional, being situated in a gateway location to the north of Canary Wharf, landmark architecture was required to justify the proposal for very tall buildings.

Working with Apt Architects, we have been leading consultation with Tower Hamlets Council officers and the Greater London Authority to bring forward a student-housing led development on this site. The scheme design includes major upgrades to the pedestrian permeability across Trafalgar Way with ‘table-topping’ and two pedestrian crossings. With the ambition to deliver the most sustainable large-scale student housing scheme in the world with ultra-low carbon operational performance, Urbanest has adopted the Passivhaus approach to building design.

The scheme will bring forward a world class, highly sustainable development within three landmark buildings of 46, 36 and 28 storeys providing almost 1,700 student bedrooms, 68 new homes proposed for university staff and their families, workspace, retail, and significant public realm improvements.

We have been advising Ocado on their portfolio since 2017, assisting in their site selection, geographical expansion and navigating the business through the planning process. Advising Ocado through the introduction of their ‘zoom’ model, a last minute grocery delivery service, which required smaller sites within urban locations to service the concept. These spaces came with a series of planning challenges, including increased transport movements and impact on residential amenity.

Working with multiple services lines, including Industrial Agency, Research and Leasing to provide a comprehensive, cradle to grave service to Ocado. The planning team advise on site acquisitions, where we provide a detailed appraisal setting out the key site considerations and potential challenges. Our approach is both site specific and consistent across the Ocado portfolio, ensuring a streamlined planning process whilst navigating through more challenging issues.

As a result, we have advised on a significant quantum of industrial floorspace that Ocado have acquired, ranging from small, inner London hubs to large edge of city warehouses in England. We are the retained planning advisors for Ocado working across their entire portfolio, which enables us to advise on the best possible outcome for their business on both their existing sites and potential expansion opportunities.

To design a new specialised office and laboratory HQ building for the life sciences sector that respects the listed King’s Cross and St Pancras stations and responds to the engineering achievements of these in an area of strong character and striking contrasts. With the Government’s ambition to reinforce the UK and London as a global centre for research and technological advances and Camden Council’s ambitions for a successful Knowledge Quarter, the client’s brief was to design a highly sustainable building, which directly improves the lives of local communities – economically, socially, and environmentally.

Working with AHMM Architects, we led a comprehensive engagement strategy with officers, GLA, TfL, Historic England, as well as politicians, key stakeholders, and local community. At ten storeys, its configuration emerges from a clear, legible arrangement of uses on the site with life sciences research laboratories at the lower levels and HQ offices above.

Camden Council has resolved to grant permission for a circa 26,000 sq m office and laboratory building that will become MSD’s UK Discovery Research and HQ subject to a S106 Agreement. This has been endorsed by the Mayor of London. The scheme will deliver a substantial package of public benefits at the planning, construction and end user phases. By supporting increased access to jobs, skills, training and education opportunities, the scheme maximises social value throughout the whole development process, reducing inequalities and increasing life chances in neighbouring communities and the borough generally.

Providing the Museum of London with world-class temporary exhibition space, substantial expansion of learning facilities, greater visibility of the museum’s collections and research arms. This new home was found at West Smithfield, in Farringdon, a short distance from its existing location at Barbican.

The design team, of Stanton Williams and architects Asif Khan, created a highly sustainable design which sensitively adapts the existing General Market and Poultry Market buildings (listed Grade II) into large spaces for museum and associated uses. Extensive engagement was held over a number of years with a large spectrum of stakeholders including Historic England, TfL, the Greater London Authority, SAVE, Victorian Society and Twentieth Century Society. The ongoing engagement of the full team resulted in the heritage societies endorsing the proposals as well as gaining the full support of Historic England. We agreed a wide range of flexible uses for significant parts of the site including offices, retail, restaurants, bar and gym use. Multiple access points to the new museum will see it become a permeable part of West Smithfield. A new covered public space also provided on the site of a former modern storage warehouse, at the foot of the Culture Mile.

The ambitions of the Museum of London are well on their way to being achieved with planning permission obtained in a matter of months. We are continuing to advise on this extraordinary project – one of the biggest cultural projects in Europe, and a highlight of the City of London’s Culture Mile initiative.

We were instructed by the joint venture of Berkeley Homes and Peabody to advise on planning matters associated with bringing forward this strategic 7ha former industrial site within the West Thamesmead Strategic Industrial Location (SIL), for a residential-led mixed-use scheme.

We have worked closely with both clients, and their advisors, the Greater London Authority and Royal Borough of Greenwich over several years to formulate an industrial strategy which would allow the release of appropriate parts of the SIL for alternative uses alongside investment, intensification and regeneration of the wider SIL area. The redevelopment proposals designed by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands Architects, would deliver up to 1,750 new homes, of which 40% will be affordable, and over 3,000 sq m of flexible industrial (Class B1c / B8) floorspace, as part of a landscape-led masterplan proposal incorporating a new 2-acre, four seasons, park.

We secured a resolution to grant from the Royal Borough of Greenwich Planning Board for a hybrid planning application (part outline/part detailed) via a virtual planning committee in late 2020. We continue to advise on this significant regeneration project.

Instructed by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council to prepare, submit and manage a major outline planning application to accord with a draft allocation (at the time) in Places for Everyone, the joint development for 9 of the 10 Greater Manchester authorities. Given the size of the site and the adherence to the Garden Village principles, this scheme presents a genuine opportunity to deliver transformational change in the local area.

The 127-hectare site sits adjacent to the western border of Hattersley and the rural-fringe town of Hyde. The site is allocated in the Places for Everyone for over 2,300 homes and supporting uses including leisure, retail, employment and open space. A robust Green Belt case was required to justify both the allocation of the Site within Places for Everyone as well as overcoming national policy tests in respect of decision making for the outline planning application.

We submitted an outline planning application in Autumn 2021 and secured a resolution to grant planning permission at the Council’s Planning Committee in November 2023. Work continues regarding the completion of the Section 106 Agreement and post-decision matter towards the early stages of delivery.

We were asked to advise the client in bringing forward this major regeneration scheme that would breathe new life into and realise the potential of a world renowned but tired and under-utilised exhibition venue.

We led extensive consultation and discussion with the Council, the Greater London Authority, Historic England, and other interest groups to bring forward redevelopment proposals. The appointed architects, Thomas Heatherwick Studios and SPARCC Architects, introduced a variety of new complementary buildings around the listed exhibition halls to double the overall floorspace on the site. This includes a new 14-storey office tower which delivers almost 80,000 sq m of office space.

We secured planning permission and listed building consent from Hammersmith & Fulham Council and swift sign off from the Mayor of London for this new global hub of exhibition, arts and cultural uses for London. In total, circa 200,000 sq m of floorspace including offices, art house cinema, music venue, two boutique hotels, and retail space will complement the existing exhibition space – continuing the legacy of Olympia for the next century. We have been retained post the grant of permission to advise on this transformational scheme.

We were retained to help secure the optimal long-term re-use of these historic Grade II* government office buildings following their closure by the Ministry of Defence. Sitting in a highly prominent location on Whitehall, one of London’s most important thoroughfares opposite Horse Guards Parade, the site is visible in a number of key protected views.

We provided strategic planning advice, led consultation with Westminster City Council, Historic England and other key stakeholders, as well as providing viability advice in respect of housing delivery. Working with EPR architects, the scheme brings forward a sensitive repurposing of this iconic building, including a carefully designed roof extension and opening up of the impressive inner Quadrangle courtyard. Through collaboration with our Hotel’s team, the client received additional consultancy and development viability advice, ensuring specialist valuation advice and full forecasts for the subject hotel upon practical completion.

We have continued to advise on a series of amendments following the grant of planning permission to bring this scheme forward and construction is currently underway. Expected from the hotel, around 1,700 jobs would be created, as well as significant public realm improvements for this gateway site. Known as ‘OWO’, the scheme will contribute further to London’s status as a world class tourist destination with a five star 125-bed luxury hotel including ballroom, several signature restaurants, roof top bar, boutique shops, spa, gym and pool, to be operated by Raffles Hotels and Resorts. The scheme also includes a suite of 85 apartments and a financial contribution towards affordable delivery in Westminster, to help meet the Council’s housing needs.