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Abstract

Plans for a 180-bed “hub hotel” in Clerkenwell have been thrown out by councillors after they overruled Town Hall officers.

Hotel giant Whitbread had teamed up with a developer to convert the “ugly” NCP car park in Farringdon Road into a Premier Inn with “compact” rooms, along with some retail space.


But councillors said the plan breached their policy on the site, which states that the car park should be redeveloped into homes or office space.

Endurance Land’s Jonathan Fletcher had argued that the plan would turn an “unattractive and under-utilised brownfield site” into a development that would “provide jobs, contribute to the local environment and economy”.

The company said it would bring 80,000 people every year to the area, anticipating the new Crossrail station at Farringdon, and 50 jobs in the hotel.

The plan drew sharp criticism from residents in surrounding streets, who were concerned about the size of the development, overlooking and disruption.

There was also widespread concern that there were no plans for any housing.

Campaigner Meg Howarth told councillors at Tuesday’s planning committee: “Whitbread, with a £2.9billion revenue stream to April 2016, can afford a part-housing development. I urge you, therefore, to reject this application in favour of a more socially responsible proposal.”

The site falls within the London Central Activities Zone (CAZ) which prioritises commerce and employment. A report presented to councillors recommended approval and said the hotel plan was “entirely appropriate”.

The report accepted Endurance Land’s claim that housing was not financially viable on the site, and that the amount of space offered for other businesses was at the maximum possible level.

But, speaking after the meeting, committee vice-chairman Martin Klute said the plan did not comply with the Finsbury Local Plan.

“There was no argument presented that justified us going away from policy,” Cllr Klute said.

“It’s a bit of a mystery as to why officers recommended the scheme so enthusiastically.

“The whole thing was pretty substandard.”

Anne Hewitson, who lives in Leyvne Court, said: “We are very pleased. The councillors realised that this was a planning application that was an attempt to circumvent policy.”

An Endurance Land spokesman said: “We are naturally disappointed that the committee ignored the planning officers’ advice to grant permission. It makes little sense to keep an ugly car park when the proposal would bring over 400 new jobs, new offices and shops, a new hotel and bring new life to this drab part of Farringdon Road. We firmly believe that a bold, contemporary piece of design that reflects the energy of Farringdon and Clerkenwell is the right approach to the site.”