The Camden Council Planning Committee was scheduled to convene to review several planning applications, including a significant change of use proposal and alterations to listed buildings. The meeting was set to cover a range of developments, from hotel conversions to retail space extensions, each with its own set of considerations regarding local policy, design, and community impact.

Change of Use: Kentish Town Road

An application concerning 293-299, 301-305 Kentish Town Road and 8 Holmes Road, London NW5 2TJ was submitted by Create Reit Commercial Ltd, seeking permission to change the use of part of the ground and first floors, as well as the entirety of the second and third floors, from office space (Class E) to hotel accommodation (Class C1). The proposal also included the installation of rooflights and PV solar panels at the rear roof level.

The report pack noted that the application met the tests of Local Plan Policy E2, which seeks to protect existing employment space within the borough, because marketing evidence showed a lack of market demand for the office space. The report pack also noted that the London Plan and Local Plan support the delivery of visitor infrastructure within town centre locations.

The report pack stated that the proposed hotel would bring a vacant building back into use, and that additional employment benefits had been negotiated including apprenticeships during the construction phase, construction work experience placements, and local recruitment and procurement.

The report pack stated that the development would not result in undue harm to neighbouring amenity, the local transport network, or infrastructure subject to the recommended conditions and S.106 obligations.

The recommendation was to grant conditional planning permission subject to a Section 106 Legal Agreement.

Alterations and Extensions: High Holborn

The Planning Committee was also scheduled to consider an application (2018/3833/P) for alterations and extensions to the existing building at 212-214 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BW. The proposal included demolition at mezzanine and fourth floor levels, removal of modern additions, and construction of a six-storey rear extension to increase office floorspace (Class E). A related application (2018/3834/L) sought listed building consent for internal refurbishment, alterations to layout, and partial demolition of the listed building.

The report pack noted that the proposal would result in an uplift of 1,153 sqm, and the building would fall entirely under Class E use, with a retail unit to the front at basement, ground, and mezzanine levels, and office space making up the rest of the site.

The report pack stated that due to the uplift of 1,153 sqm, the development is required to contribute to housing in accordance with policy H2, however due to the constraints of the site it is accepted that on-site delivery is not possible and there is no donor site available, so the policy will be met in the form of a payment-in-lieu, totalling £864,750 which represents the full policy compliant amount.

The report pack stated that the proposed works are considered to preserve the significance of the listed building, as well as the character and appearance of the conservation area, and that there would also be no harm to neighbouring or nearby heritage assets.

The recommendation was to grant conditional planning permission subject to a Section 106 Legal Agreement, and to grant conditional listed building consent.

Temporary Retail Food Store: Chalk Farm Road

The Planning Committee was scheduled to consider an application (2024/4323/P) regarding Camden Goods Yard, Morrisons Superstore and Petrol Filling Station, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8EH. The proposal sought permission for the continued use of a temporary retail food store (Use Class E(a)) for a total duration of up to 75 months.

The report pack stated that the application was to extend the use of the site as a temporary supermarket, for 25 months longer than permitted by the previous planning permission, from 50 months to 75 months in total, because of construction delays on the Camden Goods Yard Main Site.

The report pack noted that a separate parallel application, a non-material amendment, was submitted in conjunction with this one and is due to be approved shortly subject to the signing of a section 106 agreement: 2024/5651/P. This application seeks to vary condition 70 of planning permission ref 2022/3646/P dated 29/03/2023 which specified the duration of PFS site as temporary supermarket. Where previously the duration had been permitted for 50 months, permission is now sought to extend it to 75 months. The associated section 106 agreement is to be amended accordingly.

The report pack stated that there is economic benefit of the scheme, as it enables the site to continue operating, it generates local economic activity, supports the town centre, and provides a service to local people rather than lying vacant whilst development of the permanent store on the main site is ongoing.

The recommendation was to grant conditional planning permission.

Variation of Condition: High Holborn

The Planning Committee was scheduled to consider an application (2024/4662/P) regarding Selkirk House, 166 High Holborn, 1 Museum Street, 10-12 Museum Street, 35-41 New Oxford Street and 16A-18 West Central Street, London WC1A 1JR. The proposal sought variation of Condition 2 (Approved Plans) of planning permission reference 2023/2510/P dated 07/03/24, namely: to reflect proposed changes to the ground floor and basement (levels 1 and 2) layout, including a revised servicing strategy and associated alterations to entrances; alterations to core layout at upper floors; and changes to the elevations across the upper floors of 1 Museum Street including changes to the floor levels, additional glazing to the facade, introduction of inset terraces at levels 7, 10 and 15 and openable vent panels and revised BMU layout at roof level.

The report pack stated that the land use changes involve a small loss of retail floorspace and a minor increase in office floorspace, and that the driver for these changes is to improve the design, safety and functionality of the proposed scheme.

The report pack stated that the revised proposals uphold the design principles established in the approved scheme, and that the latest fire safety requirements have been incorporated and resolved, whilst ensuring that the building continues to provide a positive contribution to the public realm.

The report pack noted that many of the objections received to this application focused on servicing and refuse, and that the approved application featured a vehicular lift to the basement, accessed from High Holborn, with a small amount of on-street servicing at Museum Street and Shaftesbury Avenue, but that the revised proposals feature a turn table at High Holborn instead of the vehicle lift.

The recommendation was to grant conditional planning permission subject to a Section 106 deed of variation.