The Art Deco façade of the building that is now to go in the new Hines development

A DEVELOPER has been given the green light to demolish two buildings in Soho despite concerns from conservationists and campaigners hoping to save a low-cost supermarket.

Councillors approved the demolition of 2-4 Dean Street and 7 Soho Square, both addresses are part of the same building, at a Westminster City Council planning meeting on Tuesday. An earlier scheme had been rejected before Christmas after concerns were raised it would lead to the loss of Soho’s biggest supermarket and a seven-storey block with an Art Deco façade.

But the developer Hines returned with a new offices and retail scheme.

Committee member Cllr Nafsika Butler-Thalassis described the new plan as “one of the most improved applications I have ever seen”, and added: “I can understand the arguments that we would have preferred to see the façade retained. But when you add the overall benefits, they are overruled.”

The public benefits of the scheme included 2,000 square metres of grade-A office accommodation; £25,000 towards public toilet provision; a public seating space off Soho Square; public art on Dean Street; disabled access to the building; and an “exemplar building in terms of sustainability”.

During the dispute over the application last year, the Soho Society successfully applied to get the Dean Street Tesco, which would be lost in the scheme, listed as an ACV, asset of community value.

It meant that the developer would have to include space for a similar sized supermarket to get a scheme approved.

Cllr Paul Fisher said: “What this does is preserve the use of this land for a supermarket. Without it, tomorrow Tesco could up sticks and go. The unfortunate casualty is this Art Deco building in Soho Square. I cannot conceivably say that demolition of the façade is to be stopped to stop the development of grade-A office space and prevent all the other public benefits.”

Despite a supermarket being included in the plans following the Soho Society campaign, the façade in Soho Square will be lost.

Society chair Tim Lord told the meeting: “We remember the time when you couldn’t demolish buildings in a conservation area unless they had a negative or zero contribution. Public benefits have to be real.

“It is true there will be a supermarket. But the new one will be nearly half the size. There will be an over 60 per cent reduction in the basement. We didn’t understand how something could be a benefit when size could be a key issue. The higher rent will be a benefit to Hines. We recognise some aspects are meeting the circular economy but it is still a demolition that will release tens of thousands of CO2.”

Robbie Pitman, from Hines, said the scheme would “secure a supermarket with greater long-term certainty than currently”, and added: “The proposed new supermarket will allow the same product range and pricing to the current Tesco. Offers from Sainsbury and Tesco have been given.”

Former council leader, Conservative Rachael Robathan thought the new design very attractive, and said: “The different window treatment is a huge improvement as is the colour. And it would sit well in Soho Square.”

Committee chair Cllr Ruth Bush was “aggrieved to see the façade go”, but said, “a little reluctantly, I would also grant this application”.