The Camden Council Planning Committee's agenda for Monday 20 July 2026 included several planning applications. The meeting's agenda featured proposals for a new padel court in Cantelowes Gardens, the temporary installation of an LED screen in Central St Giles Piazza, and a change of use application for Lion House. The committee was provided with detailed reports and supporting documents for each item.

Cantelowes Gardens Padel Court

The committee's agenda included a proposal for the construction of an outdoor, all-weather, floodlit padel court in Cantelowes Gardens. The application, which included associated access pathways and landscaping works, was an amended proposal. The report pack indicated that planning policies generally support the provision of new sports and leisure facilities in accessible locations, and that padel is a fast-growing sport with a current lack of public facilities in Camden Council parks. The court was proposed to include ten free community hours per week. While the existing sandpit would be removed as part of this proposal, the Council has wider plans for park improvements, including new and enhanced children's play facilities. Assessments of noise and lighting suggested that the court could operate without significant harm to amenity within reasonable limits, with use ending and lighting turned off by 21:00. The proposal was recommended for conditional planning permission.

Central St Giles Piazza LED Screen

The committee's agenda included applications for planning permission and advertisement consent for the temporary erection of a free-standing structure in Central St Giles Piazza. This structure would incorporate an LED screen and speakers, intended to display news and sporting events during the summer months, with occasional advertisements. The screen was proposed to operate temporarily from 1 June 2026 to 31 August 2026. The operating hours for images and sound were scheduled for Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 20:00, and weekends between 12:00 and 20:00. Between 08:00 and 12:00 on weekdays, only news channels would be shown without sound. The proposal included an Operational Management Plan detailing security measures, including a dedicated security officer on the piazza during operation, 24-hour onsite security, CCTV, and regular patrols. Noise and amenity assessments were reviewed by the Council's Environmental Health department, who raised no objection subject to conditions restricting noise limits. The Council's Highways Team confirmed no concerns regarding road or pedestrian safety. The proposal was recommended for conditional planning permission and conditional advertisement consent.

Lion House, Red Lion Street: Change of Use to Hotel

The committee's agenda included a change of use application for Lion House, located at 72-75 Red Lion Street. The proposal involved changing the building's use from offices (Class E) to a hotel (Class C1), with roof extensions, the creation of terraces, new and replacement windows, a rooftop plant enclosure, green roofs, PV panels, and façade alterations. The report pack highlighted that the building had been predominantly vacant for three years, with marketing evidence demonstrating a lack of demand for office space. The hotel use was considered acceptable in this instance, aligning with London Plan Policy E10 and Camden Local Plan Policy E3, which support tourism and economic growth in accessible locations within the Central Activities Zone. External works were assessed as not impacting the significance of the Bloomsbury Conservation Area. The proposal was recommended for conditional planning permission, subject to a Section 106 legal agreement.