Nine Elms Hotels, Wandsworth
Planning application submitted
We would like to provide you with an update on the plans for the Nine Elms hotels.
Following consultation with residents, stakeholder groups and the Council, a planning application has now been submitted to Wandsworth Council and we anticipate this will be determined in the New Year.
As you may recall, we held a consultation in September where we invited feedback from the community. The project team has reviewed this feedback and, where possible, incorporated the community’s thoughts into the proposals. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in our consultation.
Key amendments to the consented scheme include:
- Northern hotel remains the same height in metres as the consented scheme.
- Southern hotel is reduced in height by 2.3m and also includes a roof top restaurant and bar, sensitively designed to protect the amenity of neighbours.
- A total of 837 rooms – less than the anticipated number of 890 rooms shared during the consultation - this reflects the inclusion of some larger rooms within the upper floors of the southern building.
- The scheme is 25% smaller in floor area overall, reflecting the following:
o There will be no conferencing facility
o There will be minimal development at basement level
- More compact guest rooms are envisaged for both buildings reflecting the new model.
- Improved public realm, including additional trees and landscaping, between the two hotel buildings which are now free of an oversailing roof, as well as a landscaped route linking Nine Elms Lane with Ponton Road and the Linear Park.
- Off‐street servicing for the southern building and on‐street servicing for northern building.
- A total of 60 cycle spaces and valet for disabled parking.
- Delivery of all commitments made in the consented scheme, alongside enhanced scheme benefits including new opportunities identified for public art.
Owing to the change in approach, we expect a reduction of eight months in our construction programme and hotels that when trading receive a similar number of vehicle trips. Subject to planning approval the hotels would open in 2024.
Provide your comments
The planning application is available on the Wandsworth Council Planning Portal. You can access the planning application and comment on the proposals using the reference number: 2021/4900 or by clicking the link here.
If you have any questions, please do get in touch by emailing consultation@cascadecommunications.co.uk, or by calling 020 7871 3565.
Our commitments
We are committed to delivering the benefits secured via our approved scheme including:
- £1.55m contribution to employment and skills in the borough
- £250,000 contribution to arts and culture in the area
- £588,690 contribution to highways works to Nine Elms Lane (Transport for London land)
- £1.9m allocated to cover highways works to Ponton Road running 130 m south of site and to connect to the linear park
Enhanced scheme benefits and commitments
- Job creation – projected increase in local jobs at the new hotels by c. 55 jobs to c. 330 jobs
- Spending in local businesses – projected to increase to c. £8.2m and £13.0m
- Public realm – around two-fifths of the site will be accessible to the public, with new pedestrian and cycle routes provided through the site between Ponton Road and Nine Elms Lane
- Pop-ups – we are exploring the potential to create space for pop-up stands that will provide a low-risk opportunity for new local businesses in the food and beverage sector. This could involve working alongside The Food Exchange
- Supporting employment and skills initiatives – we are discussing ideas with the Council to deliver substantive benefits to local young people in particular via Section 106 planning commitments
- Arts and culture benefits -the site will be hosting an arts installation with Matt’s Gallery (September to October 2021) and developing public art along the site hoarding in collaboration with the Nine Elms Art Ministry
- Public art within the scheme - we are exploring how these public art projects can inform the public realm or elevational designs to enable them to become permanent features of the scheme
Public realm
We will deliver appealing place-making and attractive public realm on Ponton Road to create a welcoming environment for visitors. A pedestrian route between the US Embassy and the new buildings will link to the new Linear Park through attractive, landscaped spaces and green pathways. The park will be a green corridor running through Nine Elms from Vauxhall Cross to Battersea. Throughout the development there will be well-designed spaces that are safe and consider pedestrians and cyclists.
About us
Dominvs Group is a family-owned property development company which has been investing in and developing hotels since 2011. We work with trusted partners to create high-quality schemes. Founded in 2011, we are one of the UK’s leading hotel investors and developers with a portfolio focused on London.
Phases
FAQ
Dominvs – Nine Elms Hotel
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Reason for the changes
Wandsworth Council resolved to grant planning permission for a dual-branded hotel scheme with 600 rooms and on-site conferencing facilities designed for a specific hotelier.
The approved hotel and conferencing scheme included buildings (linked at basement level) designed to be occupied by two hotel brands operated by this same hotelier. The design approach assumed both buildings would be operated by the same on-site management team. However, this hotelier no longer has a commercial requirement for a hotel with conferencing facilities at this site. Owing in part to the pandemic and the reduced demand for indoor conferencing facilities, there is no similar short to medium term interest in this kind of offer at this location.
Dominvs has been working with its professional team to adapt the previous proposals into a scheme which works within the existing parameters in terms of design quality, massing, and commitments made to the Council and local community. The updated scheme proposals will deliver two hotels designed to be operated independently by two different hoteliers.
Fundamentally, the approved scheme related to a conferencing-focused offer. The amended scheme instead reflects the current market demand that exists in this location. That demand naturally reflects changes brought about by the pandemic.
The hotel market and operator requirements
The site is located next to the US Embassy and close to the new commercial and office space being built across Nine Elms (e.g. Plot A of Royal Mail site, additional offices at Battersea Power Station). These are set to accommodate prestigious international businesses such as Apple and Penguin Random House.
A number of high-end and boutique hotels are being brought forward in the wider Nine Elms area (e.g. Hyatt at One Nine Elms, boutique hotels at Battersea Power Station). There is not a comparable offer for hoteliers looking to provide comfortable and affordable visitor accommodation for business guests that also includes informal spaces for on-site meetings. Moreover, such hoteliers all predict a significant increase in hybrid-working. As widely discussed and reported in the media, this may see a significant number of workers spending a smaller part of the working week in offices in London. This is expected to lead to a significant upturn in workers choosing to stay overnight in London for one or two nights rather than commute. There is also likely to be an increase in repeat visitors.
Overall, this location is very well located to serve the growing commercial and office sector in Nine Elms. Within a short walk guests will have access to all the neighbourhood restaurants, bars, the local cultural offer and the range of other local services. They are very likely to want to make use of this appealing offer.
Scheme Proposals
There is interest from hoteliers in bringing forward these amended proposals and the scheme is being designed to suit the requirements of such operators.
The offer currently includes the following:
- Northern hotel – 360 rooms, within the same approved massing. This continues to be designed to accommodate a midscale offer. The number of rooms increases from 225 as approved by delivering more compact guest rooms than previously envisaged. This reflects the target demand as described above.
- Southern hotel - 533 rooms, within a building that is likely to be 2-3 m lower than the approved scheme and within the same building footprint (i.e. within a smaller building). This is being designed to accommodate an “affordable luxury” offer. The number of rooms again increases from 375 as approved by delivering more compact guest rooms than previously envisaged, again reflecting target demand. A rooftop restaurant and bar offer will provide a dramatic venue within Nine Elms. There will be no external terrace and there will be sensitivity in the design approach towards the amenity of neighbours to the west of the building.
- Removal of conferencing facility – a significant factor informing the amended scheme is the removal of a conferencing facility from the scheme.
- No basement and a smaller scheme overall – whereas the approved scheme has two buildings connected by a basement, the amended scheme contains no significant development at basement level. This contributes to the scheme being around 20-25% smaller overall (in terms of Gross Internal Area) than the approved scheme. It also helps the construction period reduce from c. 36 months to c. 28 months.The different nature of the hotel offer leads to calculations suggesting there is likely to be a similar number of vehicular trips to the hotels, even whilst the room count increases. This is primarily because more guests are expected to use public transport and to walk and cycle within the local neighbourhood.
Benefits
Commitments maintained
o Employment and Skills contribution
o Arts and Culture contribution
o Highways works to Nine Elms Lane and Ponton Road – the latter including improvement works running 130 m south of the site and connecting to the linear park
Enhanced benefits
As well as delivering the commitments in the approved scheme we aim to realise an amended scheme which delivers enhanced scheme benefits.
o Job creation – projected increase in jobs at the new hotels by c. 50 jobs to c. 325 jobs.
o Local spending – projected to increase by approximately £1.2-2.1m.
o Public realm – around two-fifths of the site will be accessible to the public, with new pedestrian and cycle routes provided through the site between Ponton Road and Nine Elms Lane.
Enhanced commitments
o New rooftop bar/restaurant – accessible to all the local community.
o Supporting employment and skills initiatives – we are testing ideas to deliver substantive benefits to local young people in particular.
o Arts & culture benefits - we are exploring opportunities for on-site public art and the creation of Arts & Culture Fund. We also hope to soon host an arts installation with Matt’s Gallery and are exploring a further public art programme with other local arts organisations.
o Pop-ups – we are exploring the potential for space for pop-up stands that will provide a low-risk opportunity for new local businesses in the food and beverage sector.
Servicing
This will take place off‐street for the southern building within a servicing bay and on‐street for the northern building.
Timeline
We aim is to submit our new planning application in October 2021. Subject to planning permission, we anticipate starting construction in 2022 with the new hotels opening in 2024.