{"id":751334,"date":"2024-08-07T11:02:16","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T10:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=751334"},"modified":"2024-08-07T16:17:41","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T15:17:41","slug":"ahmm-scheme-involving-five-demolitions-approved-by-retrofit-first-council","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/news\/ahmm-scheme-involving-five-demolitions-approved-by-retrofit-first-council","title":{"rendered":"AHMM scheme involving five demolitions approved by \u2018retrofit-first\u2019 council"},"content":{"rendered":"

The development, which is subject to approval from the Mayor of London, consists of a new eight-storey commercial and residential block at 38-70 Baker Street, 64-66 Blandford Street and 43-45, Dorset Street.<\/p>\n

The proposals include Class E commercial space, a community space, and 17 residential units in a building consisting of ground plus seven storeys and rooftop amenities, as well as surrounding public realm and pedestrian improvements.<\/p>\n

Last March, the council unveiled draft proposals<\/a> for its City Plan that would mean developers had to explore the option to retrofit before demolishing buildings.<\/p>\n

Westminster City councillors voted to approve the AHMM scheme at a planning committee meeting on Tuesday night (6 August), although a number of councillors admitting they did so reluctantly.<\/p>\n

The meeting chair, councillor Ruth Bush, supported the motion to approve the scheme despite admitting she was \u2018deeply disappointed by the size and design of this building\u2019, describing it as \u2018too big\u2019 and demonstrating a \u2018lack of imagination [and a] lack of sensitivity\u2019.<\/p>\n

But she concluded that \u2018although my instincts are to vote against and refuse, rationally … there is gain [from the scheme]\u2019. She added: \u2018It genuinely is with a very heavy heart that I will also grant approval for this.\u2019<\/p>\n

Another councillor added \u2018the design is nondescript, it could be anywhere\u2019, but also voted to approve the scheme, concluding: \u2018You could say the same about other buildings in the area.’<\/p>\n

The council’s resolution on the proposal, which is a joint venture between Derwent London and Lazari Investments, is subject to a legal agreement which includes an 1,330m\u00b2 <\/span> off-site affordable housing contribution, \u00a3405,000 towards employment opportunities, and \u00a3820,000 towards the City Council’s carbon offsetting fund.<\/p>\n

The decision will now be referred to the Mayor of London for consideration and final approval.<\/p>\n

In a design and access statement, AHMM described its new-build design as a \u2018lean, carbon-efficient structure\u2019, insisting that a retention scheme would require additional structural and associated embodied carbon anyway.<\/p>\n

Planning officers had recommended the scheme for approval despite the demolitions, deeming the balance between public benefits and harm to be ‘acceptable’.<\/p>\n

The existing buildings are mostly in use as retail and offices. They include 66-70 Baker Street, which was originally built in 1790s and was remodelled in the 1920s and 1950s, and 62-64 Baker Street, which features an Art Deco fa\u00e7ade and was redeveloped in the early 20th century and used as for special operations during the Second World War.<\/p>\n

The other buildings are the 1950s-built 43-45 Dorset Street, the 1970s-built Accurist House and Watson House, which was built in the 1960s and reconfigured and reclad in the 1980s.<\/p>\n

A planning officers\u2019 report said the applicant\u2019s comprehensive analysis of existing buildings found that Accurist House was suitable for retention to the third floor, but that it would \u2018result in a development that would have a comparable upfront carbon impact with the comprehensive redevelopment of the site\u2019.<\/p>\n

It went on: \u2018The applicant is now committed to making further carbon savings and reduction in waste through the re-use of approximately 59 per cent of the existing Accurist House as part of the raft foundations for the development scheme.’<\/p>\n

On sustainability, the report concluded that the scheme would ‘result in significant savings in operational energy,’ and that the ‘wholescale redevelopment of the site is acceptable from a sustainability and circular economy perspective.’<\/p>\n

Officers outlined the off-site affordable housing provision – (1,330m\u00b2 GIA to be delivered off-site)<\/span> as one of the scheme’s key public benefits.<\/p>\n

AHMM said in its design and access statement: \u2018Whereas a retention scheme requires additional structure (and, therefore, embodied carbon) to be utilised to \u201ctie in\u201d with the existing structure, the comparable \u201cnew-build\u201d scheme has more opportunity to design a lean, carbon-efficient structure that brings about significant embodied carbon reductions.\u2019<\/p>\n

In April<\/a>, Westminster Council rejected Fathom Architects\u2019 proposals to demolish and rebuild an eight-storey 1950s building on London\u2019s Saville Row.<\/p>\n

The scheme, which planning officers recommended ahead of the committee meeting, included replacing the existing eight-storey 18-20 Savile Row with an eight-storey new build.<\/p>\n

Some councillors argued in favour of the scheme on the basis that Westminster\u2019s retrofirst policy had not yet been adopted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The development, which is subject to approval from the Mayor of London, consists of a new eight-storey commercial and residential block at 38-70 Baker Street, 64-66 Blandford Street and 43-45, Dorset Street. The proposals include Class E commercial space, a community space, and 17 residential units in a building consisting of ground plus seven storeys …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":137546,"featured_media":751424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[681],"tags":[1332,1642,5950,6447],"yoast_head":"\nAHMM scheme involving five demolitions approved by \u2018retrofit-first\u2019 council<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Westminster Council has approved a major mixed-use AHMM scheme requiring the demolition of five buildings, despite its plans to adopt a \u2018retrofit first\u2019 approach\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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