· Grade 1 Listed Custom House to be restored and converted into 179-room hotel
· Existing carpark to be radically transformed into new riverside public space
· Historic building to be opened to the public for the first time
The Corporation’s Planning Applications Sub-Committee has unanimously approved plans to restore and convert the Grade 1 Listed Custom House building on Lower Thames Street, into a new 179-room hotel.
Formerly an office used by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Custom House is neighboured on the waterfront by Sugar Quay to the east and Old Billingsgate Market to the west.
Described as an exemplar of positive collaboration between City planners and the applicant, the new hotel will feature a spa, health centre and a range of food and beverage uses, opening up the historic building to the public for the first time, including access to the historic Tidewaiters and Long Rooms, for use by community and cultural groups.
The proposals for the wider site are also set to deliver some further, highly anticipated benefits to the public, including a reimagining and opening up of the quayside, providing a unique and inclusive new public space on the riverside, with unfettered access 24/7, 365 days a year. The space will be roughly the size of 12 tennis courts (2400 square metres), with no private closures allowed, replacing the site’s existing car park and security railings.
The City’s hotel stock, currently at around 4,800 rooms, with 1,000 more in the planning pipeline, will play a major role in realising the Corporation’s ‘Destination City’ growth strategy, by helping to accommodate all sorts of visitors that are projected to rise substantially.
Chairman of the Corporation Planning and Transportation Committee, Tom Sleigh, said:
“Custom House has stood on the Thames for centuries, but for too long, it has been closed to the public. These plans will not only give the building a new lease of life, but will open its doors, as well as the riverfront, to Londoners and visitors alike.
“Turning the car park into 12 tennis courts worth of riverside public space is the kind of change that makes the city feel alive. The project is a shining example of how the City can honour its history while creating new spaces that people can enjoy every day.”
';
