The redevelopment of a vacant office block in Hammersmith into a landmark 171-room hotel has been approved on appeal by the Planning Inspectorate. The local council failed to make a decision within the required timeframe, triggering the appeal process.
Grove House, located near Hammersmith Underground station, is an unoccupied former office building originally designed by Sir John Burnet Tait and Partners and constructed in 1949. The approved plans will transform the five-storey block into a mixed-use development featuring a hotel, affordable workspace, retail outlets, wellness facilities, and a revitalised 131-seat auditorium.
Applicant Legendre UK, in a joint venture with Central and Provincial and Candour Properties, submitted the proposal to Hammersmith and Fulham Council in June 2024. However, the authority missed the agreed decision deadline, leading to an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate. In a recent update, Inspector Juliet Rogers allowed the appeal and granted planning permission. Construction is expected to commence in 2027 and be completed by summer 2028.
Nicolas Swiderski, Head of Property Development at Legendre UK, stated: “This development will breathe new life into the local community – creating a fantastic creative hub which enhances the borough's liveability and makes it a better place to work, play and thrive.”
Grove House had been vacant since 2023, partly due to the shift to post-pandemic working patterns and the building's poor quality, despite a refurbishment in 2013 that included the installation of the auditorium. Marketing efforts since 2022 failed to attract tenants. The approved scheme retains the existing structure, with hotel rooms occupying levels one to four, while the ground floor will host affordable workspace and public facilities.
Appeal documents revealed that the decision deadline was missed due to feedback delays and unresolved details regarding the Section 106 agreement, a legally binding contract between the developer and the planning authority covering contributions to local infrastructure and affordable housing. Inspector Rogers found the proposal made adequate provision for public realm improvements, urban greening, and inclusive economic growth, and addressed concerns about noise, light pollution, and parking stress through conditions and planning obligations.
Ms Rogers noted that she undertook “some minor editing, rationalisation, amalgamation and reordering of the conditions agreed between the main parties following the Hearing.” These included pre-commencement conditions to ensure worker safety and a requirement for bike storage installation before the development's first use.
Mr Swiderski added: “We are delighted to have achieved full planning approval for the reinvention of Grove House. This retrofit-first approach will create dynamic and versatile spaces across retail, office, leisure and the arts, embedding social value and meeting occupiers’ evolving needs for inner-city accommodation. Retrofitting vacant offices is a very environmentally friendly and efficient solution to London’s shortfall of quality accommodation. We’re proud to be co-financing and developing this project, having taken an integrated strategy that aligns community impact with sustainability. It also underlines Legendre UK’s long-term commitment to the UK market, reinforcing our position as an established player with expertise across both contracting and development.”
Alex Archer, Founder and Director at Central and Provincial, said the consent “allows us to bring a landmark building in the heart of Hammersmith back into active use through retrofit and a mixed-use vision rather than demolition.” Hamel Shah, Founder and Director at Candour Properties, added that the Inspectorate’s approval “is a significant milestone and a strong endorsement of the vision we’ve developed alongside our partners and the local community.”
