Planning and urban design consultancy Turley Associates, acting on behalf of Derwent London, has secured planning permission for a new residential and retail development on the site of the old Queens cinema on Bishops Bridge Road, Bayswater.
The cinema, which closed in the 1980s will be converted into 16 high quality apartments and around 2,800 sq ft of retail space.
Architects Stiff and Trevillion have created an elegant and sympathetic scheme that will retain part of the art-deco facade. The building will be faced in glazed terracotta, offering generous external spaces for the occupants, including garage parking.
Will Lingard, a Director at Turley Associates acting for Derwent London said: “The scheme has raised the bar for development in the area. Members acknowledged that this architecturally accomplished solution compensated for the loss of a locally listed building. Its regeneration effect will be substantial.”
The permission includes a commuted payment in lieu of an affordable housing requirement and a significant contribution to improvements to the public realm.
Work on the Queens cinema site is expected to begin early next year and be completed towards the end of 2014.