Berkeley Homes has won permission to breathe life into Roman House, a tired 1960s City office building, which will be converted into 90 apartments.
But the conversion was approved only after a minor scuffle over its relation with its neighbour, the Salters’ Hall.
The redundant office block sits on the corner of Fore Street and Wood Street, north of London Wall and flanked by Barbican residential blocks. Built in the 1950s on an L-shaped plan, it has two wings of eight and six storeys. The rear elevations look over gardens containing Roman remains of the ancient City wall, west to the site where the recently approved Hammerson St Alphage redevelopment will soon rise.
In 2009, permission was granted for reglazing, a new entrance, one extra floor on the higher wing and two additional floors on the lower wing, in expectation that the building would remain as offices.
Berkeley’s proposal was to make modest external alterations to the building, but to convert it internally from office space to create 90 apartments. New infill panels would create balconies and bring the glazing up to modern standards. To increase the accommodation, one additional storey would be added at roof level to each wing.
“The existing building is very typical of its period,” opened Peter Rees, noting the existing permission to extend the block. Running through the proposal’s floorplans – whose rectilinear shape lend themselves well to residential conversion – he noted the semi-basement “with plenty of cycle storage”.
Reusing the structure had other benefits: “From the sustainability point of view, a lot of energy is saved.”
Michael Soames, surveyor to the Salters Company, raised objections on behalf of the livery company, whose building abuts the site to the east. The brutalist concrete hall block has recently been listed.
“The company is supportive of the application apart from the seventh floor extension,” said Soames. “We believe our listing was because the building stands out. With this change we become end-of-terrace.”
The proposed rooftop extension should be scaled back to give the livery hall profile greater prominence, said Soames.
Keith Hills from Rolfe Judd spoke to represent Berkeley. He noted that the Salters had applied to extend and amend their own building – and those changes would seek to make it more prominent.
“I would just like confirmation that the full affordable housing contribution is being paid,” requested Michael Hudson. The answer was yes, and a £4 million contribution will be paid towards off-site provision.
Referring to the demands of the Salters, Rees said: “There have already been major settings back agreed,” and these were more substantial than the previously consented scheme. The applicants have not been resistant. In character terms, neither ourselves nor English Heritage have a problem.”
The scheme was approved with just one vote against.
