Planning permission granted on our Belgravia mews project
Late last year we announced that we had been appointed to develop retrofit proposals for a mews property located between the Belgravia Conservation Area and the Royal Parks Conservation Area in the City of Westminster. This week, we are delighted to announce that the project has been granted Planning Permission!
Figure 1: Our designs for the front of the building, re-instating the three-over-three Victorian sash windows that would have been originally fitted in the building. Image credit: 4 S Architecture.
Back in 2022, our first port of call was to research the history of the building. This revealed that the building had been largely re-constructed behind the original Victorian brick facade, and completely retrofitted, in 1944. This research enabled us to create a robust narrative and rationale for our proposals, which have just been granted Planning Permission by Westminster Council.
If you are looking to obtain Planning Permission for works within a Conservation Area, you might be interested in our Journal post, providing our top tips on how to secure approval.
Our proposals for the Belgravia mews building
Our proposals for this two-storey building are comprehensive, thereby ensuring a complete transformation of the property, to make it ready for today’s contemporary office worker.
On the exterior, our proposals include new, double-glazed heritage windows along the street front, echoing the original Victorian sash windows that would have been present in the building before the changes it underwent in the 1940s. New, north-facing operable roof-lights to improve natural cross ventilation and release heat build-up are also included in our designs.
Inside, there are upgrades to the thermal envelope and new, fully-electric mechanical services that ensure the property can be run off the gas grid. Existing timber trusses on the top floor have been uncovered and exposed for the first time since the 1940s, to create a dramatic space with soaring ceilings as shown in the interior visual below.
Figure 2: Our designs for the First Floor of the building, revealing the original trusses. Source: Picto Studios Ltd (rendering) and 4 S Architecture (architectural design).
We have also taken inspiration from the building’s existing mid-century modern oak and metal handrail, which was installed in the 1940s refurbishment, proposing matching oak finishes in the entrance lobby and other common areas.
On site
Construction is now proceeding at pace, with completion anticipated in late Spring 2024. Watch this space to find out more about this project in the coming months. If you would like to find out more about our commercial projects, click here, or get in touch if you would like to work with us to transform your existing building into an inspiring workplace.