1 Silk Street City Of London London EC2Y 8HQ Data via plota.co.uk

26/07430/OBS - Application for obs to adj boroughs Pending

Proposal

This development is proposed to be a phased development (phase 1: demolition, phase 2 construction) comprising: the demolition of the existing buildings, partial retention of the existing basement (including creation of a mezzanine) and onstruction of a new building for office use (Class E(g)), flexible office/community use (Class E(g)/F2), flexible cultural/event uses (Sui Generis) and flexible retail/service/food and beverage uses (Class E(a)-(c)); comprising a basement level, ground and 20 upper storeys plus roof plant level; creation of new public space and new pedestrian routes at ground level; hard and soft landscaping; pedestrian and vehicle access; blue badge car and cycle parking; ancillary servicing, plant and other back of house space; excavation to accommodate attenuation tank beneath existing basement slab, external alterations and demolition to the south elevation of the adjoining Porter Tun Room of the former Whitbread Brewery; associated highway works, enabling works and other works associated with the development. This application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement which is available for inspection with the planning application. Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
30 Oct 2026
Decision
Expected by 20 Nov 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicts a decision between 21 Dec 2026 and 1 Jan 2027, from Westminster's recent commercial and major works.

Site constraints 12

Archaeological priority area
An assessment or field evaluation may be asked for before ground works.
The council or Historic England considers archaeology likely here. A desk-based assessment, and sometimes trial trenching, can be asked for with the application.
Air quality management area: City of London AQMA
The council has declared the area as failing an air quality objective.
Schemes that add traffic, parking or combustion plant are assessed against the area's action plan and may need an air quality assessment.
Council record ↗
Registered park or garden 22 m away: The Barbican
Its setting is a consideration for work nearby.
Registered parks and gardens, battlefields, world heritage sites and protected wrecks are designated heritage assets: harm needs clear and convincing justification.
Historic England ↗
18 listed buildings within 150 m
Nearest: Barbican, Grade II, 20 m away · 1 Grade II*, 15 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 18 with distances
Historic England ↗
Central activities zone
The core of central London in the London Plan.
Offices, culture and the other strategic functions of the centre take priority over new housing here.
National infrastructure project 922 m away: Thames Tideway Tunnel
The site is 922 m from the project boundary. Waste water treatment, decided. The project page says whether consent was granted. Also within 2 km: London Strategic Heat Main Project (at pre-application, 334 m).
Nationally significant infrastructure projects (power stations, electricity lines, pipelines, major roads and railways, harbours, airports and reservoirs) are consented by a Secretary of State under the Planning Act 2008, after an examination by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than by the council. The boundary is the one the Inspectorate consults on and can change as the scheme does. Projects are shown within 2 km of the site.
Planning Inspectorate project page ↗
Conservation area 20 m away: Barbican and Golden Lane
The edge of the area; work outside it can still affect its setting.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Council document ↗
Also on the record
Scheduled monument 219 m away: London Wall: site of the Roman and medieval gateway of Cripple Gate; Inside the City and County of the City of London built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 6b (excellent), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square; Designated open space 21 m away; Town centre 21 m away: Barbican.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt

Checked on 3 November 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Planning Inspectorate, Transport for London (public transport access levels, Powered by TfL Open Data, OGL v3.0, contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025) and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

Building

Floor area29,695 m² (319,634 sq ft)
Energy ratingE (asset rating 103)
UseB1 Offices and Workshop businesses
HeatingAir Conditioning

From the energy performance certificate lodged in August 2021, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Important details

Application type
Application for obs to adj boroughs
Postcode
EC2Y 8HQ
Received
30 Oct 2026
Validated
30 Oct 2026
Case officer
Show
Target decision
20 Nov 2026
Agent
City of London

Decision outlook

Day 7 of the 56-day target. Westminster usually decides commercial and major works by day 57.

Day 750 days to the predicted decision (day 57)
50%decided within 8 weeks
93%approved
282decided in the last year

Plota live figures for commercial and major works decided by Westminster in the last twelve months, from validation. Westminster decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

Last counted 4 Nov 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Env. assessment
No
Westminster
Planning Authority Score
3.5/10
Below average
#221 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

Westminster is slower than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #258 out of 296. Only 28% of applications have the time limit extended, well below the 41% national average - the council usually decides on time. Westminster is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 81% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 81% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Westminster decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
86%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #201 of 296
81%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #277 of 296
44%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #258 of 296
28%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #46 of 296
83%
Minor dwellings approved
12 decided (1-9 homes)
67%
Major dwellings approved
3 decided (10+ homes)
81%
Change of use approved
133 decided
4,602
Total decisions
648 refused in the year to March 2026

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.