Grade II listed-Noble House on Smith Square could become a hotel
A Grade II-listed Central London building which once housed a Government department could soon be turned into a 652-bedroom hotel, plans show. The proposal for Noble House on 17 Smith Square includes a restaurant and bar/cafe at ground level as well as some work spaces in the basement, according to a planning application before Westminster City Council.
The nine-storey building is owned by Criterion Capital, which is converting a number of abandoned offices across Central London into guest accommodation. Criterion’s plans include an L-shaped extension and green roof and an internal refurbishment. If approved, the hotel could accommodate 1332 guests at a time.
The application received 145 objections and no letters of support from adjoining owners and occupiers. Many feared the hotel would adversely impact the quiet and tranquil character of the surrounding area and that the Millbank entrance was too small to cater for hundreds of guests.
Westminster City Council said though Millbank was not an “optimal location” for a hotel catering for hundreds of guests, it could operate “without causing unacceptable impacts on the character of the area”. An independent council surveyor said there was “no reasonable prospect” of letting the building as office space.
They said the building’s deep floor plans and relatively poor daylighting made it unsuitable for modern office use.
The council document shows the building had been unsuccessfully marketed as office space for 12 months. One objector who tried to rent office space in Nobel House claimed Criterion did not make a serious attempt to attract tenants or make the building usable for them.
Others said the building should be used as homes but the council said it explored this with Criterion and that there is no policy requirement for them to do so. The application received support for local amenity societies and Historic England.
Thames Water supported the proposal but said the existing water network could not meet the demand of the hotel. Instead, they called for a condition prohibiting any occupation of the development until all water network upgrades are completed. They also called for a temporary ban on piling. Piling refers to a specific construction technique used to create deep, strong foundations for a building.
The building has been empty since May 2024, when the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs vacated it. Westminster City Council will review the application on Tuesday, February 24.
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