The landmark Morleys department store in Tooting, which closed earlier this year after 70 years of trading, is set to be transformed into a hotel following approval from Wandsworth Council. The decision comes despite opposition from hundreds of residents who had signed a petition against the proposal.
The store, a fixture on Tooting High Street since the 1950s, shut its doors in April after its independent owners said they could no longer afford the maintenance and modernisation costs needed to keep the business running.
Property investment firm Criterion Capital, which owns several multimillion-pound developments across London, will lead the conversion project. The company’s plans include retaining part of the ground floor for retail use, while redeveloping the upper floors into hotel accommodation.
Council planning officers recommended approval, arguing that the scheme would create jobs and drive local economic growth, as well as make sustainable use of an existing building that might otherwise remain vacant.
However, residents raised concerns that the site could ultimately be used as temporary accommodation, referencing a nearby development that had followed a similar trajectory. More than 400 people signed a petition opposing the conversion.
At the planning meeting, Labour councillor Sean Lawless said the community was seeking “firm assurances” that the Morleys site would operate as a genuine hotel, noting that there was “no real proof” of local demand for additional hotel space.
Councillor Matthew Tiller added: “This does feel like a wasted opportunity to provide new housing rather than yet another hotel. It would be nice, if we possibly could, to push things in that direction.”
Responding to these concerns, planning officer Nigel Granger said the building could not be repurposed for another use without a separate planning application and “major physical changes.” He also cited independent viability assessments which found that permanent housing would not be feasible on the site.
In planning documents, the council stated: “By repurposing an existing building, which would otherwise be difficult to reuse, the project provides both environmental and economic benefits. The development will generate job creation, contributing to both social and economic benefits for the local community.”
The scheme was approved by six votes to two, clearing the way for Criterion Capital to begin work on the redevelopment.
