Planning permission granted for the retrofit of a 30,000sqft office building on Rochester Row

MWA are delighted to announce that Westminster City Council have granted Planning Permission for the retrofit of a 1980’s office building on Rochester Row.

The design team worked with the client, WCC and residents to develop the scheme to bring an existing building back to life and provide high-quality headquarters for our end-user client.

The Officers welcomed the proposed new ground floor shopfront, which they noted will activate and enliven the street frontage, and the proposed rear extension which is reflective of the wider scheme, in detail and fenestration. The addition of PVs, cycle parking space and EV charging points, along with the reduction in car parking spaces, were all welcomed sustainability features.

Works are now progressing on site with Oktra as the main contractor. The existing concrete structure, including a distinctive ribbed slab and brick skin, will be retained. However, several careful interventions will be undertaken:

• A new shop front will conceal some dated 1980’s architectural features and provide a more positive street presence, while also eliminating threshold steps to make the building more accessible.
• The proposed scheme will be more energy efficient after the building fabric has been upgraded with new insulation and high-performance glazing, and new PV cells have been installed on the roof.
• A ground floor rear extension will provide more area for the client, and new doors on the façade will provide access to a rear terrace for the office users.

These measures, along with others such as a new core, fulfil the client’s brief to make the building accessible for all and ensure it has long-term value.