Plans approved for 12-storey hotel in former taxi rank that will create 150 new jobs

By Hannah Neary, local democracy reporter

Councillors have approved plans for a 12-storey hotel, restaurants and offices in at a former taxi rank in Maida Hill.

Westminster Council has given developer The Collective (Taxi House) Ltd permission to build a 332-room hotel, which is expected to create 360 jobs in construction.

Westminster resident Sam Lawson said the continued use of the marshals in the area is a waste of money.

He said he noticed some of them patrolling Chinatown last week and when he asked them why they could not give him an answer.

He added: “They’re spreading fear and I find it harassing and alarmist.”

The development site consists of Taxi House, Waterside House and Westminster Street Sweepers Depot at Woodfield Road, London.

The scheme will feature buildings of four, five and six storeys and the hotel will include a swimming pool, fitness, dining and cinema facilities.

A council report says it will create 150 new hotel jobs, generate £280,000 in local spending, £19 million in spending by hotel guests and £18 million gross value added by the hotels.

Plans for an 11-storey hotel on the site with 286 rooms were approved by the council in July 2020 but fresh designs were submitted earlier this year.

As part of the new agreement, The Collective must contribute £656,000 towards carbon off-setting and £100,900 to the Westminster Employment Service – a recruitment service for locals.

Labour Councillor Guthrie McKie said: “This taxi house application… tremendous potential.

“What the Collective has decided to do with the other part of the building – the open spaces for local community groups, the opening up of the canal for social environment will bring alive that part of North Paddington, which has been too much neglected.

“Once established I think it will likely encourage all sorts of small businesses to crop up to support the hotel and its guests.

“It’s an exciting venture… I actually support high rise buildings, I think London needs more high-rise buildings.”

Conservative councillor Susie Burbridge said she preferred the original plans for the development.

She added: “I’m not particulalrly happy with this but there’s not an awful lot one can do at this stage.

“Opening up the canal to residents I think is great. The benefits probably do outweigh everything else.”

The updated plans were approved by Westminster Council on August 17.