Singaporean developer Ho Bee Land has lodged plans for the redevelopment of 1 St Martin’s Le Grand, EC1, a 10-storey, 19th century block near St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London.
The retrofit-first plans comprise a partial demolition, extension and refurbishment of the 276,792 sq ft building, bringing forward new office space with commercial space and a pub or bar, as well as public realm work.
A planning statement from Avison Young said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the evolution of office space by several years, speeding up the obsolescence of poorer-quality stock and making the need to adapt offices for changing working patterns more pressing. The existing building on the site is underutilised and outdated, and is in need of repositioning.”
It added: “The proposal looks to rectify previous 1980s interventions which have provided sub-standard office accommodation.”
Planning papers from Orms Designers & Architects said the proposal “sensitively reimagines the relationship the existing building has with Postman’s Park, but also positively impacts the public realm on St Martin’s Le Grand to increase the usable public offer”.
The new building will be pitched as a “retrofit-led global HQ”, the architecture firm added, reusing some 70% of the structure and materials and minimising the project’s embodied and operational carbon.
“To ensure an extended design life, the redevelopment is to be conceived with innovation and a look ahead to changing workplace occupier and operational needs to ensure the design is not only current at the point it reaches the market, but that it remains ahead,” Orms said.
Ho Bee Land bought the site a decade ago. It is one of eight assets the company owns in London, with others including the Scalpel, EC3.
Nearby developments include 81 Newgate Street, the new home for HSBC.
Image © Orms Designers & Architects
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