RBH has obtained planning consent to proceed with two ambitious London hotel expansion projects on behalf of hotel owners Brightbay Real Estate Partners.

An unprecedented third extension has been permitted at the Holiday Inn Express London Southwark, enabling it to expand its room capacity by almost a quarter, and a ground floor extension at the Holiday Inn Express London Limehouse will see room count increase by 24.

Project 1: Holiday Inn Express London Southwark

This property is no stranger to large development projects, undergoing a time-sensitive 48-bedroom extension ahead of the London Olympics in 2012. Just four years later, RBH managed a second ambitious extension which added a further 12 bedrooms and a full facade replacement for the hotel. This proved particularly challenging due to site constraints which required innovative design solutions and meticulous planning alongside careful consideration of logistical restrictions and safety regulations.

The commercial success of the first two extensions fuelled an ambition to add a further 35-bedroom extension to the property, taking the total number of rooms to 182. It is rare for a building to undertake more than one extension, let alone three in a decade, but this ambitious feat with huge reward potential is in line with RBH’s approach to hotel development of ‘what else?’.

In an industry where things change quickly, there are fundamentals to consider, such as the opportunity to become a more sustainably run building. Part of the rationale behind this latest planning campaign was to incorporate new solar panels and sedum roofs.

Thinking inside the box – creative expansion in a constrained space

As the UK’s highest rated Holiday Inn Express property, and with a prime Central London location, there is a strong commercial reason to expand. With the primary objective of driving increased revenue, RBH’s in-house team conducted a thorough assessment of the premises to identify more efficient and lucrative uses of the plot’s limited surface area.

Specifically scrutinising a space to the rear of the building above the existing car park, RBH concluded that the modest plot could be utilised for a six-storey extension to add up to 35 bedrooms which in turn would increase the asset value.

Securing planning permission in a competitive landscape

Working with Savills’ Planning Consultancy team and Studio Moren Architects, RBH drew up creative plans to maximise the potential of the small strip of under-utilised land providing six new bedroom bays on each floor, with an external facade and top floor mansard detail design to complement the existing building. To secure planning, RBH appointed expert consultants and specialist surveyors to facilitate a full planning application to Southwark Council which was successfully approved.

Project 2: Holiday Inn Express London Limehouse

RBH has successfully obtained the relevant consent to implement significant internal alterations at this property, which involves the complete reconfiguration of the ground and first floors.

With all public spaces inconveniently located on the first floor, the unusual layout of this hotel prompted RBH to investigate alternative ways of deploying the space to achieve an improved guest experience and more efficient hotel operations.

Floorplan mastery

Working with architects and Interior designers ICA, plans have been approved to convert the existing public spaces on the first floor into 24 bedrooms. Akin to solving a complex jigsaw puzzle, it was initially thought that only 12 rooms could be created in the space, but by seamlessly blending two different room categories to optimise function and flow, a total of 24 rooms have been cleverly arranged on the floor.

Comprising ‘Express’ 18.5m2 bedrooms alongside the more compact ‘Urban’ 12.7m2 bedrooms targeted at business travellers staying for just a night or two, optimal balance has been achieved which makes the most efficient use of every available inch.

Grand plans for the ground floor

The insufficient footprint of the ground floor to accommodate all new public areas resulted in a planning application to Tower Hamlets Council to extend into the existing carpark.

Even with a planned extension, space on the ground floor is at a premium, and RBH worked in partnership with franchise owner IHG to create a meticulous plan that addresses the multifaceted challenges of balancing functionality, traffic, aesthetics and guest experience. Creating a welcoming environment that fosters a sense of comfort is a top priority, but as are other factors such as accessibility, safety regulations and adherence to brand standards.

RBH has co-ordinated and managed the concept and technical design process, the tender stage and has ensured all consents were issued. They will oversee the project once work begins this summer alongside their nominated project managers, NBM.

Representing just two of the numerous hotel extensions RBH has managed in recent years, these developments will take the number of rooms across RBH’s portfolio to more than 7,500. Both are clear examples of the creativity and expertise that sits within RBH’s Capital Project Team led by Chief Technical Officer, Gregor MacNaughton.

Hotel owner Stephen Oakenfull, CEO at Brightbay Real Estate Partners said:

“RBH’s experienced and innovative Capital Team have proved themselves once again, successfully leading this complex and lengthy design and planning application process, which marks the seventh and eighth extensions they have helped us develop. Given the primary challenge of space constraints, we are confident that every square inch has been utilised in these ambitious plans to achieve maximum return on investment.”