The Gilbert, 40 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1PX Data via plota.co.uk

P2026/1316/FUL - Full Planning Application VALIDATED
Change of useCommercial premises

Proposal

Change of use of part of the lower ground from office (Class E(g)(i)) to a flexible use for office (Class E(g)(i)) or indoor competitive socialising (Sui Generis) including ancillary bar, restaurant, retail and associated facilities, and introduction of ventilation extraction plant and equipment Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
1 Jun 2026
✓
Validated
2 Jun 2026
✓
Consultation
25 Jun 2026
Decision
Expected by 31 Aug 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicted a decision around 9 Oct 2026; it is now day 129.

The consultation period closed on 18 Jul 2026.

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Site constraints 25

Article 4 directionBunhill & Clerkenwell Area Action PlanCAZHeathrow Safeguarding AreaCritical Drainage Group3_003Central Activities ZoneWestminster Pier to St Paul's CathedralSite within 100m of a SRN RoadCity Fringe Opportunity Area Spatial Strategy AreaAPA MoorfieldsBunhill Fields and Finsbury Square
Bunhill Fields and Finsbury Square conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
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 ↗
Heritage at risk: Bunhill Fields, Finsbury Square
On the register of historic places assessed as at risk.
A designated building, monument, park or conservation area assessed as at risk from neglect, decay or development. Proposals that secure its future are looked on favourably.
Historic England ↗
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: Islington 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 ↗
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.
6 listed buildings within 150 m
Nearest: Cattle Trough, Grade II, 43 m away · 6 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 6 with distances
Historic England ↗
Opportunity area
Where the London Plan expects significant growth.
Boundaries are indicative and the borough holds the detailed plan.
Article 4 directionCouncil record
Some permitted development rights are withdrawn. The direction is on the council's register but not published as open data.
Council site ↗
Bunhill & Clerkenwell Area Action PlanCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
CAZCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Heathrow Safeguarding AreaCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Critical Drainage Group3_003Council record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Central Activities ZoneCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Westminster Pier to St Paul's CathedralCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Site within 100m of a SRN RoadCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
City Fringe Opportunity Area Spatial Strategy AreaCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
APA MoorfieldsCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Bunhill Fields and Finsbury SquareCouncil record
Recorded by the council for this site.
Council site ↗
Also on the record
National infrastructure project 1106 m away: Thames Tideway Tunnel; Wider setting of protected view 8A.1 Westminster Pier to St Paul's Cathedral; Registered park or garden 205 m away: Finsbury Circus; Inside the Islington built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 6b (excellent), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square; Designated open space 46 m away; Town centre 76 m away: Shoreditch.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 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.

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Important details

Council
Islington
Application type
Full Planning Application
Postcode
EC2A 1PX
Received
1 Jun 2026
Validated
2 Jun 2026
Ward
Bunhill
Case officer
Show
Target decision
31 Aug 2026
Decision level
Planning Committee
Applicant
Show
Agent
Oscar Mansfield Jones
Leaseholder
Show

Decision outlook

Day 129, past the statutory target. 87% of changes of use in Islington are decided within thirteen weeks; extensions of time are common, and the council need not decide on the day. Last seen undecided on 7 Oct 2026.

Day 12973 days past the 56-day target
70%decided within 8 weeks
58%approved
58decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Islington in the last twelve months, from validation. Islington decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Alt. reference
PP-14939176
Comments by
18 Jul 2026
Site or press notice
25 Jun 2026
Committee
10 Sept 2026
Statutory expiry
23 Sept 2026

Historical activity at this location

25 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Approved
6 - 9 Eldon Street London EC2M 7LS
Continued temporary change of use of basement, part ground and first floor level from off…
25/01797/FULL
2025 Approved
1 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Installation and display of one set of internally illuminated business name lettering mea…
25/01425/ADVT
2025 Approved
1 Finsbury Avenue London EC2M 2PA
Minor alteration to ground floor shop front of Unit 5 southern elevation related to acces…
25/01590/LBC
2025 Approved
1 Finsbury Avenue London EC2M 2PA
Minor alteration to ground floor shop front of Unit 5 southern elevation related to acces…
25/01589/FULL
2025 Approved
1 Finsbury Avenue London EC2M 2PA
Installation of adverts to Unit 5 comprising of 3no. illuminated fascia signs and 2no. il…
25/01592/LBC
2025 Approved
1 Finsbury Avenue London EC2M 2PA
Installation and display of (i) one internally illuminated fascia sign measuring 2400mm x…
25/01591/ADVT
2025 Withdrawn
1 Finsbury Avenue, London, EC2M 2PA
Minor alteration to ground floor shop front of Unit 5 southern elevation related
P2025/3466/FUL
2025 Approved
1 - 2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Installation and display of one internally illuminated business name sign measuring 1.46m…
25/01750/ADVT
2025 Approved
St Mary Moorfields Catholic Church Eldon Street London EC2M 7LS
Installation of an extract flue to the rear north facing roof slope.
25/00839/FULL
2025 Approved
1 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Submission of the Public Realm Management Plan pursuant to Schedule 3, Paragraph 11.1 of…
25/01135/PODC
2025 Approved
1 - 2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Retention of: (i) two wall mounted internally illuminated signs measuring 1.3m high, 9.24…
25/00979/ADVT
2025 Approved
1 - 2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Change of use of two lower ground floor units from flexible retail (Classes A1/A3/A4) to…
25/01068/FULL
2025 Approved
1 - 2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Submission of Interim Travel Plan pursuant to Schedule 3 Paragraph 8.1 of the Section 106…
25/00790/PODC
2025 Approved
1 - 2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Submission of the Delivery and Servicing Management Plan pursuant to Schedule 3 Paragraph…
25/00923/PODC
2025 Approved
1 - 2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Submission of the SME Space Plan pursuant to Schedule 3, Paragraph 14.1 of the Section 10…
25/00762/PODC
2021 Approved
1-2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Submission of the Pocket Park Specifications and Pocket Park Method Statement pursuant to…
21/00303/PODC
2025 Approved
1 - 2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Submission of the Carbon Dioxide Emissions Assessment pursuant to Schedule 3 Paragraph 10…
25/00887/PODC
2025 Approved
5, Broadgate, London, EC2M 2QS
Installation of 12 no. antenna, 2no. 200mm dishes, 2 no. 600mm dishes attached to 3 no. 5…
PA25/1168
2025 Approved
2-3 Finsbury Avenue London EC2M 2PF
Submission of the Sculpture Relocation Strategy pursuant to Schedule 3 Paragraphs 11.4 of…
25/00447/PODC
2025 Withdrawn
36 Broadgate Circle London EC2M 2QS
Installation and display of: i) 2no. non-illuminated awning signs measuring 0.5m in heigh…
25/00085/ADVT
2019 Approved
Finsbury Avenue Square London EC2M 2AN
Erection of a temporary walk-through Christmas bauble lighting structure and associated w…
19/00969/FULL
2019 Approved
Broadgate Circle London EC2M 2QS
Installation and display of: (i) one internally illuminated totem sign measuring 1.45m hi…
19/00853/ADVT
2019 Approved
1-2 Broadgate London EC2M 2QS
Submission of the Public Art Removal and Relocation Strategy pursuant to Schedule 3, Para…
19/00934/PODC
2019 Approved
1 Finsbury Avenue London EC2M 2PF
Application under Section 19 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Ac…
19/00800/LBC
2019 Approved
E-ate, The Hackney Service Centre, 1 Hillman Street, Hackney, E8 1DY
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Islington
Planning Authority Score
2.9/10
Poor
#237 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Islington is slower than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #260 out of 296. 53% of applications have the time limit extended, above the 41% national average. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (93%) than the national average (90%).

Slower than most councils
for householder decisions
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Islington decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
89%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #132 of 296
93%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #130 of 296
43%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #260 of 296
53%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #241 of 296
89%
Minor dwellings approved
499 decided (1-9 homes)
100%
Major dwellings approved
1 decided (10+ homes)
89%
Change of use approved
19 decided
1,488
Total decisions
167 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings

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

Leaseholders: Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Source: HM Land Registry, UK and overseas companies that own property in England and Wales, September 2026 release.