The Bedford Passage Development, UK

Location: London, UK

Status: Under construction

Sector: Mixed Use

Client: UCLH Charity

The Bedford Passage Development falls within the Charlotte Street Conservation Area, in Fitzrovia, Central London, and forms part of the Fitzrovia Area Action Plan. The site includes a Grade II Listed, former 19th Century Workhouse with two wings added as later additions, two North Houses and one South House, all of which have been retained for refurbishment and upgrade.

About the project

The two wings to the rear of the Workhouse have been demolished to provide a clear development site directly behind the existing Workhouse and to satisfy the requirements of the Fitzrovia Area Action Plan the original Bedford Passage, linking Cleveland Street to the west with Charlotte Street to the east of the site, has been retained and will be reopened upon completion of the project.

The site had historically been identified by University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust (UCLH) to provide 30 legacy “affordable” units in support of previously delivered Healthcare projects on the ULCH Campus. However having failed to agree a satisfactory Planning Strategy with the London Borough of Camden Council, The University College London Charitable Trust, an independent Charitable Trust, took control of the project and appointed Llewelyn Davies as architects, planners and lead consultants to lead a design team to deliver a successful planning application and the project from inception to completion.

Additional insights

The retained buildings to the west of the site will deliver 13 market residential apartments and two townhouses. The new-build development to the rear will provide a mix of affordable legacy residential apartments and market residential apartments. 33,300 sq ft of B1 Office/D1 Healthcare space will incorporate a new Imaging Centre at B-1, capable of accommodating six MRI suites comprising 3T and 1.5T machines, complete with ancillary support facilities for both the Imaging Centre and the accommodation above. B-2 will accommodate MEP services and further ancillary support accommodation.

Full Planning Permission was granted in 2018 but the project was subsequently delayed by 2 years due to extensive archaeology works, prior to commencement of main works on site. The Retained Buildings are now completed and the New Build development is scheduled to be completed in early 2026.