Westminster approves Capco's Covent Garden redevelopment plans

Under the plans, a new pedestrian route will be created to run from north to south between Floral Street and King Street. Along the passage a courtyard will be created with shops and restaurants as well as 45 flats.

The proposals also include a conversion of the Grade II listed Carriage Hall building at the western end of Floral Street into a single retail shop and a restaurant.

The Council's planning officers welcomed the proposed new pedestrian route in the committee report (107-page / 18MB PDF) and said that the scheme had "many positives".

"The overall public benefit brought by the provision of a new north/south pedestrian route and courtyard is considerable. The axis and proportions of the route and new public space are appropriate and sit well with within the overall street morphology of this part of Covent Garden," the officers said.

“These plans will have a significant impact on how visitors experience Covent Garden and highlight Capco’s commitment to creating value and improving public access within our estate," said Capco chief executive Ian Hawksworth according to a report by CoStar. "The new passageway will connect King Street directly to Long Acre for the first time and bring a critical mass of new retail, dining and residential to Floral Street,” he added.

Construction on the scheme is expected to start in June next year, with completion planned for 2017.