31 St Petersburgh Place – Renovation and Extension

Planning application submitted (25/08325/FULL)

There is a major proposal to renovate the old dairy at 31 St Petersburgh Place, recently a marketing suite for the Whiteley, home to a Guillam Coffee house and a private office tenant. The building’s new owner proposes to make it a high quality permanent home for their worldwide operations. Guillam and the office tenant will remain in place for the medium term.

BIG architects, a globally prominent practice involved, for example, in the Google buildings at Kings Cross and Mountain View California have responded to local feedback from St Matthew’s and St Sophia’s, Chapel Side residents, BRA and SEBRA, as well as feedback from a drop-in event organised for the local community. They have now submitted an ambitious planning application. This proposal has responded to local feedback in a number of ways:

Height and Massing

The proposed roof facing Chapel Side was significantly lowered at three points to reduce its visual impact on neighbours. The high point of the roof was moved towards the centre of the massing, further away from properties on Chapel Side. Proposed views from Moscow Road, St Petersburgh Place and Chapel Side can been seen below.

View looking West from Moscow Road
View looking North from St Petersburgh Place
View looking East from Chapel side, showing lowering of roofline following consultation

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Light Spill

In response to concerns about light spill, sensor-controlled lighting was incorporated into the scheme to ensure lights are not left on in rooms after use. Automated blinds were introduced to the relevant elevations, to mitigate the impact of light spill at night.

Overlooking

Obscured glazing was introduced along the western façades facing Chapel Side to provide a further buffer to the adjoining homes. To further respect privacy and prevent overlooking, the heights of the edge planters were significantly increased.

External Space

The plans propose local improvements to the external space to the rear of the building, between the site and 30-34 Chapel Side.

Specific Conditions

These are offered to protect the amenity of neighbours, including:

  • Hours for refuse/recycling collection
  • Hours for the depositing of refuse/recycling into the external bins
  • Hours for operation of the proposed retail use
  • Hours during which the external terraces can be used and the purpose for which they can be used
  • Noise limits for plant
  • Hours for deployment of blinds
  • Height and maintenance requirements for planting at building edges

The changes to the original proposal take account of many of the concerns expressed in the consultation. BRA is asking that the specific conditions listed above are made an explicit part of the planning approval.

Please tell BRA your views on this proposal: membership@bayswaterresidents.org

 

Queensway Parade

Westminster planning application: 25/03223/FULL

While just outside the BRA area, on the opposite side of the road from the Whiteley’s development, this is a major proposal that will dramatically change the face of Queensway.

A previous owner obtained planning permission for demolition and redevelopment of the site. A new owner recently submitted a new proposal. This sits within the massing of the already consented development, but switches the emphasis from offices to housing. It also substantially increases the proportion of high quality, on-site, affordable housing. The ground floor will continue to be devoted to retail.

We feel the proposed building is too high, but there is already planning permission for a building of the same height and massing, so any objection on these grounds is very unlikely to succeed. We very much welcome the increased provision of high quality affordable housing on-site.

The full application can be viewed on the Westminster Planning portal:

http://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=SW5OVPRPFOI00

Please send your views on this to: membership@bayswaterresidents.org

The Existing Site (looking north up Queensway)

The Proposal

The Existing Site (looking south down Queensway)

The Proposal

The Existing Site (view from Porchester Gardens)

The Proposal

90 Westbourne Grove

Sainsburys redevelopment (April 2025)

This development site is large and encompasses 86 to 96 Westbourne Grove, Hereford Mews and 28 to 38 Hereford Road

The Existing Site

View of Hereford Road and Westbourne Grove Junction
88-94 and 98 Westbourne Grove
Existing view from Hereford Road looking towards the site

The Proposals

Illustrative view of the proposals looking north-east

The proposals, as illustrated above, would provide 29 new homes of a range of sizes onsite and offsite social housing. At ground and basement level on Westbourne Grove there would be new retail, food and beverage space.

Hereford Mews would be rebuilt, with a wider entrance from Hereford Road to allow fire engine access.  A new red brick mansion block is proposed for Hereford Road.

Westbourne Grove - Proposed Elevation
Hereford Road - Proposed Elevation

Hereford Mews

Illustrative sketch of the mews looking north - front doors activate the space.
Pilbrow & Partners - The Kensington Building

The design inspiration and materials for the proposed Westbourne Grove façade are similar to Pillbrow & Partners’ Boots building in Kensington High Street.

Hereford Road - Red Brick Boundary
Hereford Road current - narrower building, simplified and reduced roof.

There have been a number of meetings between the developers and local residents’ associations over recent months.  Concerns have been raised on the height, design and materials of the Westbourne Grove façade; the size and justification for the double basement beneath the entire site; the nature of the retail and other uses for the basements; the size, design and materials of the Hereford Road mansion block; greening opportunities/net biodiversity gain proposals for the whole site.

Further Information and Feedback

The developers’ public consultation and information boards can be found by following this link.

Please tell BRA your views on the proposals membership@bayswaterresidents.org

Duke’s Court

Development proposals at Dukes Court, corner of Queensway and Moscow Road - Westminster planning application ref: 24/08764/FULL - Link Here

View from Southeast on Queensway
View from Northeast on Queensway

Westminster City Council recently rejected development proposals at Dukes Court, a tired and plain 1960s building at the corner of Queensway and Moscow Road (ref 4/08764/FULL). These proposals involved major upgrades to the façade of the existing building, the addition of two extra floors and a roof terrace, and a new Mews house in the rear courtyard

The developers consulted with BRA and made significant refinements and improvements to the designs. We remained concerned by the impact of the proposals on existing flats in Duke’s Court itself and neighbouring Alexandra Court on Moscow Road, as well as the low quality of the new housing provision in the mews house, and lodged an objection which can be found by following this link.  Objections were also raised by Bayswater Councillor Maggie Carman and Lancaster Gate Councillor Ellie Ormsby.

A new application was almost immediately submitted by the developers (25/04299/FULL), addressing the main reasons for refusal by Westminster. This proposal drops the mews house entirely, while retaining the façade renovation and two-story mansard roof extension and roof terrace of the original application (see illustrations below). The former Barclays Bank premises at ground floor level would be converted to one or more retail units.

Queensway Street View - Looking South

Queensway Street View - Looking North
Sketch view of Queensway commercial shop fronts