Two New Homes Approved by Westminster in Fitzrovia
Planning permission secured in Fitzrovia, to convert a single upper floor flat above a public house into two self-contained flats.
PLANNING APPROVALSLONDONWESTMINSTER
Andrew Ransome
8/2/20262 min read
In 2025, Westminster City Council granted planning permission for the conversion of the existing single flat into two self-contained flats.
In this case, I acted as planning advisor on this project, setting the planning strategy, while the client submitted the application itself.
It's a useful case study in how a well-evidenced, standards-led approach can see off a formal objection from a Neighbourhood Forum without the application ever needing to go to committee.
The Site Context
The site in question is a brick-faced, four-storey terrace property within the Charlotte Street West Conservation Area.
It's an unlisted building of merit, with a pub at ground floor and a single residential unit spanning the second and third floors above.
The strategy centred on subdividing that existing upper-floor unit into two smaller, self-contained flats, one per floor, rather than any external works or extension.
Westminster's Housing Policy Supported the Principle
Policy 8 of Westminster's City Plan 2019-2040 is squarely supportive of this kind of intensification as it seeks to optimise housing delivery on small sites.
With both proposed units falling comfortably under the Plan's 200 sqm GIA ceiling for new homes, there was a strong policy basis for the principle of two units in place of one from the outset.
Overcoming the Forum's Objection
The application did, however, draw a formal objection from the Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum, who raised concerns about the standard of accommodation.
Their points were addressed based on specific policy tests, namely:
Floorspace: both units exceeded the Nationally Described Space Standards.
Storage: the scheme was amended during the application to add 1 sqm of built-in storage.
Dual aspect: both flats were shown to be dual aspect, satisfying Policy D6 of the London Plan and reinforcing the case for good quality accommodation.
Amenity space: The constraints of the existing building meant that new amenity space was not wasn't achievable for the second-floor flat. The council accepted this argument.
The case demonstrated that the objection's specific, measurable concerns had each been tested against the relevant standard and answered, rather than dismissed.
Westminster City Council consequently concluded the application was acceptable and granted permission.
Planning Application Advice
If you have a small site or an existing unit you're considering subdividing to deliver additional homes, I'd be glad to talk through how a similar strategy might apply.
Andrew Ransome MRTPI - Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
About me
Andrew Ransome is a Planning Director and a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), with more than two decades of experience in town planning.
He specialises in delivering strategic planning solutions for complex developments across both rural and urban environments, helping clients navigate planning challenges and unlock development opportunities. Connect with Andrew on Linkedin.
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Get in touch for planning advice: Email: andrew@andrewransome.co.uk
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