Developers have been given the go-ahead to build a new luxury hotel and five restaurants as part of a major regeneration of the South-west corner of Leicester Square in London.
The proposals also include luxury residential apartments and a new Odeon cinema on the 22,604 sq ft site, which currently houses the existing Odeon West End cinema and some surrounding buildings. Building is due to start next summer.
The plans, approved by Westminster Council, encompass:
- A new four-star or five-star 240-room hotel on the first to fifth floors, with an entrance on Whitcomb Street.
- A new Odeon cinema with two screens (440 seats and 220 seats) at basement level
- Four restaurants/cafés with al fresco dining – three facing onto Leicester Square and one at the corner of Whitcomb Street and Orange Street, a total of around 12,755 sq ft
- A rooftop restaurant offering views over central London
- Thirty-three luxury apartments on the sixth to eighth floors, and part of the ninth floor
- Measures to increase energy efficiency, including a photovoltaic array on the roof and a gas-fired Combined Heat and Power system, designed to reduce carbon emissions for the building by 16%
- Discreet servicing that will be achieved from Orange Street instead of Leicester Square
A spokeswoman for the Leicester Square Co-ownership Group, which is overseeing the plans, said: “This will be a major focal point for Leicester Square – bringing new life into a neglected corner of one the London’s landmark destinations.
“The plans centre on a new high quality four-star or five-star hotel, with a state of the art facility for Odeon, as well as restaurants and cafés where people can enjoy the surrounding open space.”
The spokeswoman added that the group was planning to begin discussions with restaurant operators soon.
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By Daniel Thomas
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