Leicester Square Hotel building : Information

2008 make architects Location: city centre GO AHEAD FOR LEICESTER SQUARE HOTEL AND CINEMA Westminster City Council has approved plans by the Leicester Square Co-ownership Group to create a new high quality hotel and state-of-the-art Odeon cinema as part of a major regeneration of the South-west corner of Leicester Square in London. The 22,604 sq ft/2,100 sq m proposals also include street-level restaurants and cafés, a rooftop restaurant and luxury residential apartments on the site, which currently houses the existing Odeon West End cinema and some surrounding buildings. Designed by award-winning practice, Make, the project will complement current plans to improve the Leicester Square area. A distinctive curved layout will mark the cinema entrance and an iconic frontage of mirror finished stainless steel will bring a fresh focus to the South-west corner. Works on the site are expected to begin in Summer 2009. The plans include: " A new 4* or 5*, 240 bed hotel on the first to fifth floors, with an entrance on Whitcomb Street. " A new, state of the art Odeon cinema with two screens (440 seats and 220 seats) " Four restaurants/cafés with al fresco dining - three facing onto Leicester Square and one at the corner of Whitcomb Street and Orange Street, a total of around 12,755 sq ft /1,185 sq m " A rooftop restaurant offering views over Central London " 33 luxury apartments on the sixth to eighth floors, and part of the ninth floor " An increase in public space facing into Leicester Square, created by the innovative design of the cinema entrance " Measures to increase energy efficiency, including a photovoltaic array on the roof and a gas-fired CHP system, which will reduce carbon emissions for the building by 16 per cent " Discreet servicing that will be achieved from Orange Street instead of Leicester Square A spokesperson for the Leicester Square C0-ownership Group said: "This will be a major focal point for Leicester Square - bringing new life into a neglected corner of one the London's landmark destinations and drawing people down to the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square. It will be an important contribution to the wider improvements to this area and help to connect two of the capitals most popular public spaces. "The plans centre on a new high quality 4* or 5* hotel, with a state of the art facility for Odeon, as well as restaurants and cafés where people can enjoy the surrounding open space. We also expect the rooftop restaurant, with its prime West End location and spectacular views over London, to be especially popular with residents and visitors and we are looking to start discussions with an operator shortly." Matt White, of Make, said: "It has been a fascinating design challenge to produce a building for such a high profile site. We have combined a highly distinctive presence on the square with an appreciation of the qualities of the surrounding area. The result is a landmark building which will redefine Leicester Square and play a key role in the ongoing regeneration of the area as an attractive and welcoming space for leisure and living."