Criterion Capital has won planning approval for an underground hotel on Great Russell Street, WC1, via an appeal.
The 166-bedroom hotel proposed across two basement levels (-4 and -5) of a car park was originally refused by Camden Council in February. According to Camden, Criterion Capital failed to demonstrate “the design, layout and standard of air quality would provide an acceptable standard of accommodation and amenity”.
However that decision was overturned by the planning inspectorate. In granting consent, the inspector concluded that “the proposal would make effective use of an under-used part of an existing building”, and would “provide additional visitor accommodation in a highly accessible location”. On the issue of air quality, it said the “potential impacts on the living conditions of local residents and the effect on the amenity of users of the public realm can be managed adequately through planning conditions”.
Commenting in the West End Extra, Soho councillor Glenys Roberts said: “I think a decision like this lets down the whole of the West End. We are supposed to be a world-class city, which means showing the lead to others.” She added that visitors would be treated, “like a bunch of troglodytes in an underground cave”.
The London Plan has identified a need for an additional 40,000 hotel rooms by 2031, with 2,500 of those needed for Camden alone.
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