Plans for £500m redevelopment of Fitzrovia Royal Mail site approved

The proposals by Great Portland Estates (GPE) include two nine storey buildings to comprise 162 new homes, 217,000 square feet of offices and 42,000 sq ft of shops as well as a new public square to link Rathbone Place with Newman Street. 20 of the homes will be affordable and a further 18 affordable homes will be provided across three other nearby sites owned by GPE.

The 2.3 acre site had been occupied by Royal Mail as a regional office and distribution centre since the 1950s. GPE purchased the site in November 2011 and leased it back to Royal Mail, who vacated the premises in August. The site is identified in Westminster's Core Strategy as a strategic site for mixed-use redevelopment in the Tottenham Court Road Opportunity Area.

The Council's planning officers said in the committee report (49-page / 11MB PDF) that the plans, which were designed by architect MAKE, were "a distinctive, characterful proposal, of high architectural and urban design quality".

“We are delighted to have received support for our scheme from Westminster, with whom we have worked very closely over the last two years," said GPE portfolio director Neil Thompson in a statement. "Rathbone Place will be one of the West End’s most exciting new developments and is one of several projects GPE are working on for delivery over the next few years”.

GPE said it plans to start work on the site in 2014 with completion expected in 2016.