Stanhope and Mitsubishi tipped for Westminster office approval

Stanhope and Mitsubishi Estates London have had plans for the redevelopment of a 1960s Westminster office block recommended for approval. 1 Victoria Street, SW1, was home to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy until January. Westminster planning officers have now recommended sign-off for plans that would see the building demolished above ground level and replaced with a 10-storey building comprising room for retail, restaurant, leisure and medical offerings and almost 640,000 sq ft office space. The Allford Hall Monaghan Morris-designed scheme would also feature new public realm, including a pocket park. Council planning officers said the application was revised in June to allow for additional demolition after structural investigations found corrosion in steel reinforcement bars. However, they added that the applicants’ circular economy and whole life carbon assessments are “robust”. In an earlier planning statement, Gerald Eve said: “The existing building is approaching 60 years old and is technically reaching the end of its design life. It falls considerably below modern environmental standards and contains asbestos. It does not reflect or enhance its sensitive surroundings, does not function efficiently in the way that modern offices need to, nor does it interact well with its immediate context in townscape or amenity terms.” The owners noted that “EPC energy efficiency standards mean that it cannot be relet to a new commercial tenant without significant investment to bring it up to modern sustainability standard”. Image © Allford Hall Monaghan Morris View other planning applications in Westminster >>