BOW STREET PLANNING SUCCESS
Bow Street planning success heralds London debut of Edward Holdings’ hotel brand
Westminster City Council last night (16th October) granted listed building and planning consent to enable the transformation of London’s most famous former police station and premier magistrates’ court in Bow Street, Covent Garden, into a high quality hotel.
Independent Irish property and investment company Edward Holdings, which acquired the building in 2005, also confirmed that once again they will be working with internationally renowned milliner Philip Treacy, who will bring his design genius to bear on the hotel’s interiors – ensuring that the property will be London’s most anticipated hotel opening.
The hotel in Bow Street will be the sister of the renowned g hotel in Galway, also designed by Philip Treacy, and will join the d hotel in Drogheda and Edward Holdings’ as yet unnamed new property in Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock, set to open in 2009, which will be Treacy’s next interiors project for Edward Holdings. The company also owns Ashford Castle, a member of Leading Small Hotels of the World in Cong, Co. Mayo.
The planning application was prepared by Edward Holdings with a team of top consultants including Douglas Wallace Architects, Designers and Project Managers, and planning consultants CB Richard Ellis. A comprehensive programme of public consultation including all key stakeholders was undertaken by Quatro PR. The team was committed from the outset to taking a conservation-based approach to preparing the buildings for their new purpose, respecting the buildings’ unique history.
The premises long and colourful legacy will be recognised by the provision of an ‘interpretive centre’ as part of the consented proposals, incorporating the existing cell block at ground floor and basement levels, alongside the hotel but with a separate entrance. The famous Court Rooms and other internal features such as staircases and lifts will also be preserved.
Bow Street Magistrates’ Court played host to the trials and hearings of some of the most notorious characters in British history. Oscar Wilde was incarcerated there when he was arrested and charged with gross indecency in 1895. The twentieth century began with more infamy as American-born Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen appeared before the court for murdering his wife and burying her remains in the cellar of his house. Crippen was found guilty and hanged at Pentonville Prison in 1910.
More recently, East End gangster Reggie Kray spent time in Bow Street’s cells in the 1960s and former Chilean military leader Augusto Pinochet rounded off the Century by appearing here to answer torture and human rights charges.
Bow Street Police Station has stood empty since 1992 and Edward Holdings was selected as preferred bidder at the end of 2004. The magistrates’ court ceased to operate on this site in 2006.
Edward Holdings acquired the site with an extant planning consent to extend the Grade II Listed properties and convert them for use as office accommodation. However the company’s ambition was always to secure their long-term future by creating a new high quality hotel.
David Barrett of Edward Holdings said, “It has taken the best part of three years to bring this application forward for planning and we are delighted with the outcome. Westminster Council has recognised that our proposals represent the best way to safeguard the importance of these important landmark buildings and create a new destination hotel for London, right opposite the Royal Opera House.
“We have no doubt that the buildings’ redevelopment will create a ‘buzz’ of anticipation throughout the world, both because of their historic resonance and the appointment of Philip Treacy as design director.
“The façade will, of course, remain as it is, but we are placing our confidence in Philip Treacy to weave his magic on the interiors and set a new benchmark for hotel design.”
Friday 17 October 2008
Parmalink:
http://www.quatro-pr.co.uk/Bow-Street
