Early plans for hotel at BT Tower to be unveiled at public exhibition

MCR Hotels are inviting residents to view “emerging proposals” for the redevelopment of the BT Tower at a public exhibition this month.

BT Group announced in February 2024 that it was selling its telecommunications tower in Fitzrovia to MCR Hotels for £275mn, after the US company privately approached it with an offer too good to refuse.

The 189 metre tall, Grade II listed Tower is no longer essential to BT’s operations as these are now delivered by other methods.

MCR was previously working on plans with architects Heatherwick Studio but later ditched them in favour of Orms Architects.

“We are excited to be working with them, and their emerging designs will be on display at the public consultation,” said a spokesperson for the project team.

Ahead of the exhibition, MCR has been reluctant to answer specific questions put by The Fitzrovia News but has now revealed that the plans include public access to the top of the Tower and its podium buildings, a new publicly accessible square and rooftop swimming pool, walking routes through the site, and new retail shops and restaurants.

Discussions have been taking place with Camden Council’s planning officers and some councillors.

“On Thursday 12 March, we presented our high-level plans to Camden Council’s Strategic Panel,” said a spokesperson for the project.

A planning application is due to be submitted later this year.

Construction work will cause a huge amount of disruption as the site lies on Cleveland Street, Howland Street and Maple Street — busy motor vehicle, cycle and pedestrian routes through the neighbourhood.

Those narrow streets were originally laid out in the late 18th century and the development site is also made up of a number of unlisted buildings including the former Museum Telephone Exchange, built in 1939, on Howland Street, after being transferred from North Crescent.

The proposed hotel would require daily servicing with frequent vehicle movements to and from it, and would be a source of noise nuisance and congestion unless managed carefully.

BT Tower Hotel Project public exhibition at Jeremy Bentham Room, University College London, 23-25 Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT. Open: Monday 11 May 2026, 5:30pm to 7:30pm; Tuesday 12 May, 5:30pm to 7:30pm, and Saturday 16 May, 11:30am to 1:30pm.

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