Planning Granted for Oxford Street Site
Planning permission has been granted by Westminster City Council for a new retail-led mixed-use scheme on a key Oxford Street site.
ESA – part of Capita Symonds – has been appointed by the Co-Operative Insurance Society to design and deliver the scheme which comprises buildings at 149 and 151 Oxford Street and 59 Berwick Street.
The buildings were previously occupied by Boot’s the chemist and an independent retailer.
The site has been subject to piecemeal development over many years; resulting in a disjointed configuration that provides poor quality retail and office accommodation. The substandard buildings and their façades are also deemed to have a significantly negative impact on the local Soho Conservation Area.
Never Miss a Retail Update!The new scheme proposes the complete demolition of the existing 1950’s buildings and their replacement with a high-quality contemporary mixed-use development featuring:
ESA says that the development will provide large, flexible, modern retail space at basement, ground and first floors which maximises full width retail frontage on Oxford Street, provides generous floor heights, and large display areas and new Soho office space for a contemporary tenant arranged over the retail space on the second to fifth floors (the offices will be accessed through a secure gated courtyard off Berwick Street);
There will be Six contemporary new apartments arranged over the first to fourth floors fronting Berwick Street and the internal courtyard with access through a secure gated courtyard off Berwick Street.
An elevated roof garden on top of the of the retail space will utilise green roof technology to create bio-diverse habitats.
Kevin Wylde, ESA, said: “The project provides a great opportunity – as part of the ongoing regeneration at the eastern end of Oxford Street – to design a landmark, contemporary, sustainable mixed used scheme which also enhances the character and appearance of the conservation area and repairs the damage done in the 1950’s.”
Work begins on site this month with completion due next spring.
