Plans submitted for new hotel at former Greenwich Magistrates’ Court
PLANS have been submitted to convert an old magistrates’ court in south east London into a 293 bedroom hotel.
The scheme from LHG (London Hotel Group) would see the Grade II listed former Greenwich Magistrates’ Court extended and converted along with two neighbouring London School Board buildings which date back to 1892 and 1903 respectively.
If approved by Greenwich Council, the new £70 million hotel will boast a gym, pool, ground floor bar and restaurant, and a range of public, semi-public and private green spaces, including a new public square, built around an existing mature tree.
Meher Nawab, CEO of LHG, commented: “We are proud to be submitting a high quality design 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. As ever, our focus is to create considerate, design-led quality developments that will boost the local areas in terms of their economy, employment opportunities and their community.”
Michael Squire from project architects Squire & Partners added,”Our design approach restores the Grade II listed former Greenwich Magistrates Court, and celebrates this by establishing a series of public spaces and courtyards, around which contemporary buildings articulate the transition between old and new through glazed links and skylights. Local residents, visitors and hotel guests will be encouraged into the central landscaped spaces.”
The court building in Blackheath Road, close to Deptford Bridge DLR station, dates back to the early 20th century. It included two courts and a police station when built in 1909 with a third courtroom added around 1960. The government closed the court in May 2016 and sold the building for £12 million.
The rear of the development site neighbours the Doubletree Greenwich hotel which was created in a former Metropolitan Police section house and opened under the Mercure brand in 2012.
The planning application for the new hotel at Greenwich Magistrates’ Court was submitted to the Royal Borough of Greenwich last month.
CGI courtesy of Squire & Partners
