Tower Hamlets Council has submitted a planning application to build an outdoor terrace for its town hall café, with costs estimated between £75,000 and £110,000. The proposed terrace would be located in London Square, opposite the Royal London Hospital, and is designed to serve as a public space for rest and gathering.
Planning Application and Costs
The council has already spent £32,000 on designing the terrace and preparing the planning application. The project is part of the council's ongoing use of the town hall, which it moved into in 2023 after a multi-million pound refurbishment of the former Royal London Hospital building on Whitechapel Road.
The café, situated on the ground floor near the foyer, is open to the public but currently accessible only through the town hall's main entrance. It overlooks London Square, directly opposite the hospital's A&E department.
Council's Vision for the Terrace
A council spokesperson said the terrace would make the café a place for "people to rest and gather" and would be "a significant benefit to the area." They added: "London Square has become a popular thoroughfare and meeting place for people visiting the hospital and the Town Hall."
The spokesperson highlighted the lack of outdoor spaces in the vicinity: "Whitechapel Road is a very busy high street and there aren't many outside spaces that allow people to rest and gather, so the addition of a cafe terrace will be a significant benefit to the area."
Public Consultation and Next Steps
The council believes the terrace will also bring in more customers to its café. The planning application is available for public viewing and comment on the council's planning website under reference number PA/26/01349/NC.
Residents and stakeholders can submit their feedback through the official planning portal, with the application now under consideration by the council's planning department.
