New lease of life planned for once-grand Lancaster Gate hotel

By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter

A vacant Grade-II listed building is to become 11 new homes after councillors approved plans to reimagine the former Averard Hotel.

Westminster City council’s planning committee voted to back the proposal for the dilapidated building on Tuesday, a move which is hoped will breathe new life into the Lancaster Gate site.

Officers had recommended the submission be given the green light in a report published ahead of the committee meeting, with a local residents’ association also backing the plans.

Due to the absence of affordable housing in the proposal, something officers deemed appropriate given the heritage and other constraints of the site, a contribution of £1.4 million was agreed to help fund provision elsewhere, with the potential for more, depending on the project’s profitability.

Very few concerns were aired by committee members during the meeting, with Cllr Paul Fisher describing it as “one of the best applications I have seen since I have been a councillor”.

The former Averard Hotel building, which was on the market for £25m four years ago, has been unoccupied since 2008.

Initially constructed as two townhouses in the mid-19th century, the site was transformed into the hotel in the 1930s. Its worsening condition since the establishment was shut led to it being placed on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register.

The plans, filed by applicant Heriot UK, involve constructing one one-bedroomed, seven two-bedroomed, and three three-bedroomed flats. Among the main alterations intended for the building are to its rear, where Heriot UK is looking to rebuild and extend parts of the current structure.

Officers had recommended the £1.4m financial contribution was appropriate in lieu of affordable housing.

In his representation to councillors, Anthony Jaff, director at Heriot UK, said the company wanted to “sensitively refurbish, remodel and extend this listed building and return it back to its original residential use”.

He also touched on the absence of affordable homes. “This would have required creating separate access to the listed building,” he said, “which would also have had a damaging impact on the heritage and would result in very high service charges for the affordable housing tenants.”

Cllr Robert Rigby said that while it was ‘regrettable’ affordable housing was not deemed viable on-site, “I think we have heard quite clearly the reasons why that can’t happen”.

All five councillors voted in-favour of the plans, with Cllr Jim Glen describing the submission as a ‘huge improvement’ on the current site.

Cllr Fisher said: “The applicant should be commended for taking on the burden of rejuvenating an old heritage asset within Westminster. I hope they reap the benefits, if only because the more they reap the benefits, the more potentially we’ll get by way of contribution to our affordable housing in the city.”

Heriot UK said: “We are delighted to have secured permission from Westminster City Council for the restoration and change of use of 10 –11 Lancaster Gate.

“When purchasing the properties in 2022, we recognised that they were in a severe state of dilapidation. We are now looking forward to sensitively restoring and extending the properties, creating 11 new homes on site and contributing to the delivery of new affordable homes in Westminster.”

As well as the contribution towards affordable housing, the planning conditions also include £43,653 towards the council’s Carbon Offset Fund, and £3,300 towards initiatives providing local employment and training opportunities

Pictured top: The rear of the former Averard Hotel as it is today (left) and a mock-up of what it is intended to look like under Heriot UK’s plans (right). (Picture: Heriot UK)