Though the climate for property development is still harsh, we have learned that two developments are now being drawn up that will affect residents on the South and South-West corner of Willoughby House. Hammersons are working with the City of London to bring forward a new scheme for the St Alphage House site. This is likely to be just the original site – from Alban Gate to Moor House, and up to the existing line of Fore Street. However, rumours in the building press seem to indicate they are still considering a very large 700,000 sq ft building on this site. The developers have appointed MAKE as the architects, whose founder, Ken Shuttleworth, is known for creating iconic buildings. Resident representatives from the BA and WHG will be meeting with Hammersons in January to learn more and raise their concerns.
In a separate move, the post office and telehone exchange site on the other side of Fore Street is also being considered for a new development. Planning permission was granted last year for a stepped, mainly glass office building. Now, the owners of the site are proposing a scheme to put two hotels on the site – two buildings that would be no higher than the scheme that achieved planning consent. A 15-storey building at the Moor House end, which would house a 4-star hotel
Nearest to WH they plan an 8-storey L-shaped block – similar height to WH, but further back. This building will house a 170-room apart’hotel aimed at longer term guests looking for self-contained accommodation: a mixture of studio, 1-bed and 2-bed apartments each with its own lounge and kitchen/diner.
At the other end of the site, a taller 16-floor four-star hotel will be built. This will have a bar and a restaurant, but no banqueting facilities and around 250 guest rooms. The entrance to both will be from the courtyard on Fore Street, but most people are likely to approach on foot from Moorgate end.
There will be no parking provision on site apart from 3 disabled spaces at the back. Most poeple are likely to arrive by public transport or taxi. Obviously, taxi dropoff and waiting taxis will be a major concern. Deliveries to both will be via Fore Street Avenue (Moor House end) and an access road at the back. It will be screened from Willoughby House by the Apart’hotel building.
Of all the possible options for the site, and its proximity to bedrooms in Willoughby House, a hotel with only limited catering/bar seems to be offer a relatively good outcome. Light disturbance will be less as its use is residential, and lights will largely be off at night; furthermore, the hotel guests will be as sensitive to noise disturbances as we will, and so we would expect the hotel management to wish to achieve the same level of quiet as we do. Taxi drop-off and waiting remain a concern, and we will be working with the developers to see how this can be managed.
The developer is hoping to bring the scheme to planning in the spring, as it has a big-name hotel group that wants to take on the running of both hotels. Construction would then begin in 2010 and take about a year.