28 July 2017
SAVE objects to demolition of North West House, Westminster
SAVE Britain’s Heritage has objected to proposals to demolish North West House, a handsome historic building on the Marylebone Road in Westminster.
North West House is a red brick and Portland stone building, dating from 1937, that was designed by F. W. Charity for the North West District Permanent Building Society. It is well proportioned and features attractive detailing, notably at street level but also on its upper storeys, and it makes a positive contribution to the two adjacent conservation areas and several surrounding listed buildings.
An audit of the Portman Square Conservation Area in 2003 recommended it should be considered for inclusion within the conservation area, but this has not happened.
The proposal is to entirely demolish the existing office building, for replacement with a larger bulkier office block.
SAVE believes the existing building is capable of reuse as offices – with the ground floor currently occupied by a branch of Royal Bank of Scotland - and that the proposed replacement would cause harm to views of the Grade II Westminster Council House, and overshadow adjacent listed buildings and the Dorset Square and Portman Square Conservation Areas.
For further information, please see the planning application here: http://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=ORG0QZRPFXP00
