The revamp of an empty Hammersmith office block into a landmark 171-room hotel has been approved on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate after the local council failed to make a decision within the allotted time period.
Grove House, an unoccupied former office building by Hammersmith Underground station, is to be transformed to also include new affordable workspace, retail, wellness facilities and a revitalised 131-seat auditorium.
Applicant Legendre UK, in a joint venture with Central and Provincial and Candour Properties, submitted its proposal with Hammersmith and Fulham Council in June 2024.
The local authority however failed to give notice of a decision within the agreed timeframe, and so an appeal was lodged with the Planning Inspectorate.
In an update published this week Inspector Juliet Rogers allowed the appeal and planning permission. Works are expected to start in 2027 and to be completed for summer 2028.
Nicolas Swiderski, Head of Property Development at Legendre UK, said the development “will breathe new life into the local community – creating a fantastic creative hub which enhances the borough’s liveability and makes it a better place to work, play and thrive”.
Grove House is a five-storey block originally designed by Sir John Burnet Tait and Partners and built in 1949.
It has however sat empty since 2023, which planning documents revealed was partly due to the impacts of post-pandemic working as well as the building’s poor quality.
As the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) covered at the time, this was despite a refurbishment in 2013, which included the installation of the auditorium.
The building had been marketed to potential tenants since 2022 but with little success.
Under the approved plans the building is to be retained with the 171 rooms to be installed from levels one to four.
The ground floor is to host affordable workspace and facilities for the public and hotel guests.
Appeal documents filed with the council however reveal that, due to feedback delays plus draft conditions and other details not being agreed, the deadline for deciding the scheme was missed.
The main areas of dispute related to obligations set out within the Section 106, which is a legally binding contract between a developer and a planning authority directing funds to the likes of local infrastructure and affordable housing.
In her report Ms Rogers found that on matters such as public realm improvements, urban greening and inclusive economic growth the proposal “makes adequate provision”.
Other concerns raised, such as relating to issues of noise, light pollution and parking stress, were also noted.
“Such concerns have been considered during the determination of this appeal and, where appropriate, measures incorporated into conditions and/or planning obligations,” she said.
Ms Rogers wrote she had undertaken “some minor editing, rationalisation, amalgamation and reordering of the conditions agreed between the main parties following the Hearing”.
These included some pre-commencement conditions ensuring health and safety of workers on-site, and a condition requiring the proposed bike storage to be installed ahead of the first use of the development.
Mr Swiderski said: “We are delighted to have achieved full planning approval for the reinvention of Grove House.
“This retrofit-first approach will create dynamic and versatile spaces across retail, office, leisure and the arts, embedding social value and meeting occupiers’ evolving needs for inner-city accommodation. Retrofitting vacant offices is a very environmentally friendly and efficient solution to London’s shortfall of quality accommodation.
“We’re proud to be co-financing and developing this project, having taken an integrated strategy that aligns community impact with sustainability. It also underlines Legendre UK’s long-term commitment to the UK market, reinforcing our position as an established player with expertise across both contracting and development.”
Alex Archer, Founder and director at Central and Provincial, said the consent “allows us to bring a landmark building in the heart of Hammersmith back into active use through retrofit and a mixed-use vision rather than demolition”.
Hamel Shah, Founder and Director at Candour Properties, added the Inspectorate’s approval “is a significant milestone and a strong endorsement of the vision we’ve developed alongside our partners and the local community”.
