Two extra storeys and recladding get green light
A scheme by architect John McAslan & Partners to convert the Millbank Tower into flats and a hotel has been approved.
The proposal earnt the wrath of the Twentieth Century Society which objected in particular to the replacement of the 1963 complex鈥檚 鈥渋nnovatory鈥� facades.
And English Heritage conservation director Nigel Barker warned that future visitors 鈥渨ould not be seeing a renovated 1960s building but would in fact be seeing in effect a new, taller building complex on a partially retained 1960s podium鈥�.
The scheme, approved by Westminster council this week, would add two extra storeys 鈥� one containing a 鈥渟ky bar鈥� to the 32-storey tower which would be converted from offices into 207 flats.
One storey would be added to the Y-block which would become a 150-bed hotel with a ground-floor restaurant. The south podium would become a cultural facility.
A Westminster council spokesman said the scheme would 鈥渂ring great value to the local community, with payment for highway works, public art and a new cultural space鈥�.
鈥淚t is worth noting that this application was considered under our old policy on office-to-residential, as the application was submitted pre-September 2015,鈥� he added.
鈥淪ince we made a change we have seen a drop-off in applications for office-to-residential conversions and a significant rise in interest for new offices.鈥�
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