Residents living in side streets in Fitzrovia will have to endure more than two years of lorry traffic for a construction project on Tottenham Court Road, at the behest of Camden Council who want to keep motor vehicles off the shopping street.
Camden Council gave planning permission in February for Great Portland Estates (GPE) to extend and refurbish a building on the corner of Tottenham Court Road and Store Street (The Courtyard 1-7 Alfred Place, 22 Store Street and 220-226 Tottenham Court Road: 2024/4840/P).
Buildings on the site were built around 1908 “during a redevelopment of the adjoining block designed by architects Read & MacDonald,” state planning documents.
“The three- and four-storey structures were both designed to have the collaborative function of retail and manufacturing. The gap between them in elevation on Alfred Place is currently used as an access courtyard spanned by the 90s extension that connects the two.
“The main building, 220-226 Tottenham Court Road, has an L shape and fronts Tottenham Court Road, Store Street and Alfred Place. The second building, 3-7 Alfred Place, fronts onto Alfred Place and is assumed to have been the original industrial unit. The central courtyard between these buildings is believed to be an inter-war addition.”
Knighton Estates Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of GPE, acquired the entirely commercial building in 2023. The approved design has been prepared by Emrys Architects.
The work includes infilling the courtyard and an extension to the roof, including raising the cupola so it is more visible from Tottenham Court Road. The floor space of the building will increase from 7,336 to 8,324 square metres gross internal area — a total uplift of 988 sqm gia.
As major construction projects go the Courtyard Building is relatively small compared to the recent demolish and rebuild work on Tottenham Court Road, which is now drawing to a close to the relief of neighbours.
Much of the building has been vacated ahead of work commencing, except for the Nationwide building society and bank which will remain open for the duration of the project.
Demolition and construction for The Courtyard Building will be carried out by the principle contractor Mace Group who are now inviting local people to view the proposals for the construction management plan which will control how the work on the building will be done to minimise disruption to neighbours, and includes the proposed lorry routes in and out of the site.
As with recent construction projects, Camden Council will not allow site vehicles to use Tottenham Court Road where general traffic is restricted — changes brought in under the council’s West End Project.
Vehicles accessing the site will instead have to use narrow side streets past homes along Grafton Way, Fitzroy Street, Charlotte Street, and Percy Street. Leaving the site vehicles will use Store Street and Gower Street.
Work is due to start this summer and be finished by March 2028 according to the draft CMP submitted to Camden Council.
A briefing on the draft CMP will take place at 5pm, Tuesday 10 June 2025 in person and online. Those interested in attending should email neda.haghshenas@macegroup.com to be sent details, and where they can also get a community update newsletter. Planning application documents: 2024/4840/P.
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