London Hotel Group (LHG) has been granted planning permission to turn the former Greenwich Magistrates’ Court into a boutique hotel.
The Grade II-listed building, as well as two adjacent empty school buildings, will be turned into a 293-bed property scheduled to open in 2022.
The design by Squire and Partners will retain historic elements while reintroducing public access to the court building and adding a new public square around an existing tree.
Several former court buildings in London have been converted into hotels in recent years, including Old Street Magistrates’ Court, now the Shoreditch Courthouse Hotel; Tower Bridge Magistrates’ Court, now The Dixon by Marriott; and Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, soon to be the Nomad London.
Construction Enquirer reports the cost of London Hotel Group project will be £70 million.
The site is two minutes’ walk from Deptford Bridge Station on the DLR.
Squire and Partners say their plan will replace several extensions with four new buildings in varying heights, from two to seven stories, along the back of the building.
The ground floor of the court and one of the school buildings will house a bar, restaurant and café for guests and visitors.
The hotel will also include a gym, pool, conference centres and on-site parking.
London Hotel Group, which operates a small collection of hotels in the UK capital, will pay a £1.8 million Community Infrastructure Levy to the borough of Greenwich.
The group’s existing properties include the Best Western Plus London Croydon Aparthotel, Best Western Plus Wembley and the Ibis Styles Walthamstow.
CEO Meher Nawab commented: “We are delighted to have achieved planning consent for this high-quality development that is not only respectful to the local heritage, particularly regarding the Magistrates’ Court, but will also bring this brownfield site back into vibrant and viable use.”
