Westminster councilors have waved through plans to refurbish a public garden and cafe off Oxford Street which has been vacant for more than two years. Applicant BH1 Ltd submitted proposals to significantly redevelop the deck area at Brown Hart Gardens and partially demolish the cafe, to be replaced by a larger building.
Council officers had recommended the scheme be approved, describing the landscaping works as “much needed” in a report. At a meeting of the planning applications sub-committee on Tuesday night (April 30), members voted unanimously to approve the two applications behind the redevelopment.
However, one resident expressed fears that disturbances such as noise would worsen, and asked councilors to ensure the scheme is fair to those living nearby. Brown Hart Gardens, located between Balderton Street and Duke Street with Oxford Street to the north, is privately owned although the garden is open to the public.
According to BH1 Ltd’s plans, the cafe is to be expanded to accommodate more customers who eat indoors. However, outdoor dining covers will be reduced, resulting in a small overall reduction in seating. Plans include additional greening and reshaping of the deck area, plus later operating hours.
At the meeting earlier this week, Nick Brindley, a Senior Planning Partner at consultancy Gerald Eve, told councilors the existing cafe building had “never been a success” and had been vacant for long periods. This, he said, has degraded the character of the area and contributed to anti-social behaviour.
Brindley added that the applicant had carried out “extensive” consultation before submitting his designs. “The result is a carefully balanced system that will improve the space for everyone, most importantly for local people,” he said.
Rebecca Storey, a member of the Brown Hart Gardens Committee, also spoke in favor of the plans. She said the site is currently a “dead place”, and the operation of a cafe would help address ongoing problems such as anti-social activity. She said: “This one is important to get right, and we think this person is probably the best chance we have of getting it right.”
Loesch, who said he is an essential worker and lives in social housing, added that noise is a particular concern with the proposed scheme, with the space acting as a “natural amphitheater”.
“We didn’t choose to live there, and we know it’s a privilege to live there,” he said. “It is a great privilege to live there, but at the same time we have the same rights and ability to experience the Fairer Westminster that one would expect in terms of all planning and consultation across the country.”
The officers were asked by councilors whether customers would be able to access the gardens late at night, as they are to be closed to the public several hours before the cafe is due to close. They were told that this would be handled by cafe/restaurant staff, although the details would be clarified in an Operational Management Plan (OMP) for the site.
Cllr Shamsed Chowdhury asked if a condition could be added to ensure there is tall planting around the deck, to prevent people looking into neighboring flats. Officials said this could have an impact on the light, although an “informational” encouraging this action was added to the program. The council unanimously approved the plans.
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