A former college campus and office block near Oxford Street is set to undergo a major redevelopment, creating new retail, food hall and office space.
Berkeley Estate Asset Management, acting for long-term owner Oxford and City Holdings Ltd, has submitted plans for a “deep retrofit” and extension of 33 Cavendish Square. The scheme includes refurbishing the site’s three towers, removing their cores to create more open floor plans, and demolishing surrounding low-rise buildings, known as the podium.
The redevelopment would replace the former College of Fashion campus with an eight-storey block and deepened basement. The three towers, dating from the 1960s and ranging from nine to 21 storeys, will remain as office space. Floors between the 17th and 19th storeys may be converted into a viewing gallery, bar and food area.
Newly built blocks will include office space, “cultural and creative” floorspace, restaurants, a pub, and a food hall. The current site also houses a mini-golf leisure centre, gym, and empty teaching space last used by the University of Arts.
Local community groups have largely supported the plans but expressed concerns over the scheme’s height and massing. Some fear the frontage could disrupt the “rhythm” of Oxford Street. One objection noted that demolishing the south podium would remove a building that had housed the London College of Fashion for more than fifty years, calling it a cultural loss.
Westminster City Council planning officers described the scheme as “highly commendable” and noted that it would create hundreds of local jobs. The plans retain more than half of the original floorspace and are expected to add 35,000m2 of office space, supporting 1,875 employees in offices and 335 jobs in ancillary services.
The redevelopment would result in the loss of 6,500m2 of retail space, as well as the mini-golf facility, gym, and educational space. Council analysis indicated the increase in office space would bring economic benefits and improve the overall quality of the West End International Centre.
Energy efficiency is a focus of the proposal, with greening planned for terraces and roofs where the current site lacks greenery. Council officers noted that the reconfigured retail space would be of higher quality, revitalising a key area just off Oxford Street.
Westminster City Council’s planning committee is scheduled to review the application on Tuesday, December 9.
