The Planning Sub-Committee (2) of Westminster Council met on Tuesday 21 April 2026 to discuss several planning applications. The committee granted conditional planning permission for a new research centre at St Mary's Hospital, approved details related to servicing and travel plans for a development on Marylebone Road, and granted conditional planning permission and listed building consent for the conversion of a property on Cambridge Street into an embassy. Permission was refused for a mansard roof extension at 9 Churton Place due to design concerns, and conditional permission was granted for the continued use of Passage House as a hostel.

The Bays & Patterson Cabin, South Wharf Road, Paddington, W2 1NY

The committee granted conditional planning permission for works to The Bays building, which will be known as The Fleming Centre. This development involves the demolition of the existing roof, internal floors, and walls, with the retention and alteration of the external walls and facade. A new four-storey vertical extension, including a rooftop terrace, will be constructed to create a mixed-use building comprising exhibition, education, and multifunctional space, alongside healthcare research laboratories, consulting rooms, offices, workspace, and meeting space. A two-storey ancillary pavilion structure will also be built.

The Fleming Centre is a collaboration between Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The development is expected to create approximately 58 full-time equivalent jobs and will include public exhibition and educational spaces, a café, and public realm improvements.

Significant planning obligations were agreed as part of a Section 106 legal agreement, including financial contributions towards local employment and skills development (£81,289.44), the Carbon Offset Fund (£144,540), and green infrastructure (£80,910). The agreement also mandates public access to exhibition spaces, café terraces, and toilets, as well as an Employment and Skills Plan, a Social, Community and Educational Strategy, and 'Be Seen' monitoring of energy performance. Public art to the value of £250,000 is also to be incorporated.

Concerns were raised by Historic England regarding harm to the Bayswater Conservation Area, and by the Greater London Authority (GLA) regarding transport, sustainable infrastructure, and environment. Transport for London (TfL) also highlighted concerns about cycle parking, canal towpath safety, and delivery/servicing arrangements. Despite these concerns, the committee found the public benefits of the development, including its contribution to life sciences research and public engagement, to be significant and outweighing the heritage harm.

129 - 137 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5QD

The committee granted conditional planning permission for a variation to Condition 35 of a previous planning permission. This variation allows the service route to be used as pedestrian access to the mews building from both Knox Street and Wyndham Street. This change is intended to provide flexibility for the mews building to accommodate a separate tenant. An Operational Management Plan has been submitted and approved, detailing hours of use, pedestrian access arrangements, smoking areas, delivery controls, and security for cyclists.

The committee also approved details for a final detailed Delivery, Servicing and Waste Management Plan, and a Travel Plan, pursuant to conditions 10 and 21b/c of the original planning permission. These plans aim to confirm the time, location, and routing of deliveries to the site and encourage sustainable travel.

Objections were received from ward councillors and local residents, primarily concerning the potential for increased pedestrian traffic, highway safety issues, noise from gates, and the impact on residential amenity. However, the council's Highways Planning Team and Transport for London raised no objections. The committee concluded that the proposed amendments and details were acceptable and complied with relevant City Plan policies.

40 Cambridge Street, London, SW1V 4QH

The committee granted conditional planning permission and listed building consent for the change of use of 40 Cambridge Street from a single-family dwellinghouse to the Embassy of Montenegro (sui generis). This also includes the installation of a flagpole on the first-floor balcony and a plaque alongside the main entrance door.

The proposal was met with objections from ward councillors, residents, and local amenity societies, who raised concerns about the loss of a family home, the impact on the residential character of the street, potential security risks, and the visual harm caused by the flagpole and plaque to the Grade II listed building and the Pimlico Conservation Area.

However, the committee noted that diplomatic uses are a strategic function within the Central Activities Zone (CAZ) and that hosting embassies provides significant wider social public benefits, such as fostering international cooperation and supporting diaspora communities. The small scale and low impact of the proposed embassy's operations, along with an approved Operational Management Plan and recommended conditions limiting visitor hours and numbers, were considered to mitigate concerns about residential amenity. The committee concluded that these public benefits outweighed the less than substantial harm to heritage assets. A condition was also recommended to ensure the flagpole and plaque are removed if the Embassy vacates the building.

Trafalgar Buildings, 1 - 3 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2DD

The committee granted conditional planning permission and listed building consent for the conversion of part of Trafalgar Buildings into a hotel, along with the reprovision of retail units at ground level. The proposal involves the partial demolition of rear facades and existing additions, the erection of a new rear infill extension, and alterations to the roof and front facades.

The committee found the loss of office floorspace to be justified, supported by updated marketing evidence and the newly adopted City Plan Policy 43, which prioritises retrofitting over demolition. The provision of a hotel in this prominent location within the Central Activities Zone was deemed appropriate, with an Operational Management Plan in place to mitigate potential amenity impacts. The development also includes improved energy performance, achieving a 35% reduction in regulated carbon emissions for the new build element, and a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating is targeted.

A Section 106 legal agreement was required to secure a financial contribution of £237,270 towards the Carbon Offset Fund, £66,177 for local employment and skills initiatives, and 'Be Seen' monitoring of energy performance. The agreement also stipulates that the extant permission for demolition and rebuilding cannot be relied upon if these proposals are implemented.

While the proposals were found to cause a low level of less than substantial harm to heritage assets, this was outweighed by the significant public benefits, including economic growth, environmental improvements, and the provision of hotel accommodation.

Passage House, 1 - 5 Longmoore Street, London, SW1V 1JH

Conditional planning permission was granted for the continued use of Passage House as a hostel (sui generis). Passage House has been operating as a hostel for the homeless since the late 1990s, providing supported accommodation and services. The application sought to establish this use permanently, following a previous temporary permission.

The committee acknowledged strong objections from neighbouring residents concerning noise, anti-social behaviour, litter, and safety issues. However, the Metropolitan Police supported the application, noting the hostel's established protocols for managing anti-social behaviour. The applicant provided detailed Operational Management Procedures, outlining 24-hour staffing, locality checks, resident agreements on neighbourhood conduct, and a formal complaints procedure.

The committee considered the continued use of Passage House critical to the Council's commitment to tackling homelessness, aligning with the London Plan Policy H12, City Plan Policy 14, and the Council's Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy (2025-2030). Despite the acknowledged harm to residential amenity, the committee deemed the continued use acceptable due to the pressing need for such services and the robust management procedures in place. Conditions were recommended to ensure adherence to the Operational Management Procedures and to limit the number of residents.

9 Churton Place, London, SW1V 2LN

Planning permission was refused for the erection of a mansard roof extension to replace the existing butterfly roof at 9 Churton Place. The proposal included dormer windows to the front and rear elevations and a roof light.

The committee determined that the proposed mansard extension would disrupt the uniformity of the terrace on Churton Place, harm the appearance of the building, and fail to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Pimlico Conservation Area. While the extension would provide additional living space for a growing family, the committee found that the public benefits were limited and did not outweigh the less than substantial harm to heritage assets. The proposal was considered contrary to City Plan Policy 45E and Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan Policy PIM3, as well as advice in the Pimlico Conservation Area Audit. The committee noted that the property already benefits from approved rear extensions and a pitched roof extension, providing scope for expansion without compromising heritage interests.