John Lewis’ former headquarters in London Victoria could soon get two more storeys and a roof garden to attract new tenants, a council report suggests.
Kirkglade Limited has asked to infill two internal atriums and build rooftop extensions to bridge the disconnected elements on its 1960s office block on Victoria Street.
The building is closed off at the ground floor and lacks any meaningful engagement with the street. The proposal, currently before Westminster City Council, includes two new entrances and a green roof.
The building’s granite cladding is expected to be reconditioned while the existing porte cochere to Carlisle Street is to be removed to make way for a giant new entrance.
The ground floor colonnade to the piazza outside Westminster Cathedral could also be infilled to provide a new office entrance.
The proposals, if approved, will bring 3,421sqm of extra office floorspace. Local amenity societies and neighbouring residents have opposed an extended entrance on Carlisle Street.
Cathedral Area Residents Group said the new entrance will be bigger than the existing porte cochere by an extra storey and could become a “very substantial and brightly lit addition” for residents. They wrote: “[This] present[s] an unattractive and intrusive setting for Evelyn Mansions and to the entrance of the conservation area as a whole.”
Westminster City Council said the enlarged entrance is not considered to be “unacceptably prominent”. They said the highway team did not raise any objections to the proposal, which would make Carlisle Place one-way southbound.
The council said the colonnade on Cathedral Piazza already suffers from antisocial behaviour and currently has temporary hoarding and infilling them would “increase the engagement of the building with the piazza and enhance natural surveillance”.
Architects TP Bennett said the changes should make the building more attractive to tenants. They wrote: “The office space on site is currently oriented around a single occupier. Our proposals will help to create a more flexible office space, allowing for multiple new tenants, whilst bringing the spaces up to standard.
“This will include new outside amenities along with additional entrances and a new cycling and end of journey infrastructure.”
Westminster City’s planning officer said the proposed changes will modernise the building and allow it to be occupied by multiple tenants.
Also known as BP House, 171 Victoria Street was constructed in the 1970s as part of a wider development along Victoria Street, according to the council. The building has a distinctive modular form and consists of four to six storeys to the Cathedral Piazza and a 15-storey tower to the Carlisle Place side.
The building was originally occupied by BP and more recently by John Lewis. The chain moved to a new building in Pimlico in September 2024.
Westminster City Council will review the application during a meeting on Tuesday, July 8.
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