Westminster city councillors have gone through plans to refurbish a public cafe and garden off Oxford Street. It has been vacant for more than two years. We want to have a closer look at the proposals today. Then, if you need any help with property investment in the City of Westminster, you can rely on us.

The proposal

Applicant BH1 Ltd filed proposals to do substantial re-landscaping to the deck area at Brown Hart Gardens. They also want to partially demolish the cafe. They will then replace it with a bigger build.

Council officers made recommendations for the scheme to be approved. According to them, the landscaping was necessary. Members voted unanimously to approve the pair of applications behind the revamp. They did so at a Planning Applications Sub-Committee.

There was a resident that had concerns though. These relate to the worsening of disturbances like noise. They requested that councillors made certain the scheme was fair on locals. Brown Hart Gardens is a privately owned establishment even though the garden is open to the public.

Accommodating more people

Under the plans from BH1 Ltd, the cafe will undergo an extension. This will let it accommodate more people dining indoors. However, external dining covers will go down due to a minor reduction in seating.

The plans include extra greening and re-landscaping the deck area. Operating hours will also go on till later. Come to us if you need the best services for property investment in the City of Westminster.

During the meeting, a Senior Planning Partner at consultancy firm Gerald Eve, Nick Brindley, spoke to councillors. He said the existing cafe building hasn’t been a success, with it sitting vacant for long stretches. According to him, this has detracted from the area’s character.

Mr Brindley further said that the applicant had undertaken considerable consultation. They did so before it went on to submit its designs. The outcome is a scheme that will improve the space for all, especially local residents.

Comments from the committee

One member of the Brown Hart Gardens Committee, Rebecca Storey, spoke positively of the plans too. She said that the site is a ‘dead space’ at present. Having a cafe would aid with persisting concerns. She thinks it’s important for them to get things right.

Councillor questions

Councillors had the time to quiz officers over whether customers could access the gardens during late nights. This is considering that they will be shut to the public a few hours before the cafe is due to shut. The answer was that the restaurant/cafe staff will oversee it. Details would also be clarified in an Operational Management Plan for this site.

Cllr Shamsed Chowdry asked if it would be possible to add a condition to guarantee there is tall planting around the deck. This would stop people from looking into neighbouring flats. Officers said this could influence light. An ‘informative’ encouraging such action was added to the scheme. Councillors then unanimously gave approval for the plans.

We’ll get you the help you’re after for property investment in the City of Westminster

At Finefair Ltd, we can aid any kind of client, including new investors and current landlords. The team can work with anyone wanting to develop a long term partnership to meet their specifications. Alternatively, we can offer short term solutions for accidental landlords and more.

You can rely on us, a leading business specialising in property investment in the City of Westminster. So, contact us if you need help.