Earlier this year Westminster Council resolved to grant planning approval for the Strand redevelopment. The scheme includes the demolition and rebuilding of 154 – 158 Strand and 152 – 153 Strand. The façade of 1521–153 will be retained as this is a grade II listed building. The redevelopment will include a new academic building, a public venue, alterations and extensions to the current buildings, works to the quadrangle building and a link to Somerset House East Wing. The proposal will provide an additional 3,700 square metres of teaching space.
Campaign group Save Britain's Heritage previously set up an online petition asking Clark to exercise his powers and call in the proposal. Other groups opposing the redevelopment include the Ancient Monument Society, the Victorian Society and the Somerset House Trust. Following these objections, last month Clark issued a holding direction preventing Westminster Council from granting planning permission.
A spokesman for the secretary of state for communities and local government said that "a planning inquiry will follow in which all parties will be able to make representations and further consideration can be given to issues around conserving and enhancing the historic environment of this location of national significance."
Historic England originally supported this redevelopment advising that the benefits of the scheme outweighed any loss. However, it has since changed its position and now argues that the scheme would damage the conservation area.
Historic England's initial recommendation had influenced the Council's decision to resolve to grant planning approval. The deputy leader of Westminster Council, Robert Davis said "we will obviously cooperate fully with the public inquiry, but we will be encouraging the minister to scrutinise the role that Historic England has to play in future major applications in central London."
Planning expert Thomas Edwards of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com said "The change in Historic England's position from advising that there would be less than substantial harm to substantial harm is important. In a post Barwell Manor world, where there is harm to a heritage asset there is effectively a presumption against the grant of planning permission, which is strengthened the more substantial the degree of harm is. This presumption may be outweighed where the secretary of state finds that there are material considerations powerful enough to do so, such as substantial public benefits."