1 - 5 Maiden Lane London WC2E 7NA Data via plota.co.uk

Pending 26/06541/LBC
Date received
23 Sept 2026
Date validated
23 Sept 2026
Postcode
WC2E 7NA

Description

Repairs to brickwork and installation of a waterproofing system within the under-pavement coal vault. Data via plota.co.uk

Last checked

Decision outlook

Plota predicts a decision between 13 Nov 2026 and 22 Nov 2026, from Westminster's recent extensions.

Day 16 of the 56-day target. Westminster usually decides extensions by day 55.

Day 1640 days to the 56-day target
56%decided within 8 weeks
88%approved
1,675decided in the last year

Plota live figures for extensions decided by Westminster in the last twelve months, from validation. Westminster decision record →

Site constraints 11

Covent Garden 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 ↗
2 Article 4 directions
Article 4 Basement Development Permitted Rights Removed · Article 4 Direction Class E To C3 In Central Activities Zone. Named permitted development rights are withdrawn here.
An Article 4 direction withdraws particular permitted development rights, so work that would normally need no application needs one here. Not every council has published its directions.
Archaeological priority area: City of Westminster APA 1.2
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: Westminster 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 ↗
National infrastructure project about 77 m away: Thames Tideway Tunnel
The site is about 77 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, about 30 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 ↗
Town centre: West End
A designated centre in the London Plan.
Shops, services and active frontages are protected in centres, and main town centre uses are steered here first.
64 listed buildings within 150 m of the postcode pin
Nearest: Rear Premises of the Vaudeville Theatre, Grade II, about 2 m from the postcode pin · 2 Grade I, 9 Grade II*, 53 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 64 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.
Also on the record
Registered park or garden about 219 m away: Victoria Embankment Gardens; Inside the City of Westminster built-up area; Public transport access: PTAL 6b (excellent), TfL 2023, for the 100 m square.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. 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.

Work with planning data?

Every application in Westminster - and every UK council - as a live feed, an API, or a bulk CSV export.

About Plota's data service
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