Westminster council is set to amend its draft City Management Plan to make it more flexible on residential provision.
The rethink follows a backlash from West End landlords and developers.
The 370-page draft CMP had sought to force landlords wanting to increase commercial space by 2,153 sq ft or more, or leisure or retail space by more than 4,306 sq ft, to provide an equivalent amount of residential on site. Consultation on the CMP closed on 23 March.
Steve Norris, chairman of West End landlord Soho Estates, said: “The requirements regarding the provision of residential floorspace could wreck many a development scheme.”
Nigel Hughes, director of planning and environment at Grosvenor, agreed: “We are very concerned that in its present form the CMP is too negative in tone in relation to both the government’s growth agenda and strategic London Plan policies.”
Westminster Property Association chairman David Silverman said it had been in talks with the council and was confident that modifications would follow.
Westminster said alternative options had been discussed and that it would look at what changes could be made.
joanna.bourke@estatesgazette.com
