Projects

Langley Park Hotel

RPS secured consent for the change of use of Langley Park House, Buckinghamshire, to provide a new hotel. The House comprises a listed building in the Green Belt and the proposals included the provision of substantial extensions to the building to provide a spa and wellness centre, as well as the erection of a range of ancillary outbuildings accommodating additional bedrooms and ancillary functions to support the use as a hotel.

Timeline

2008

Planning permission and listed building consent secured for the conversion to hotel use
2011

Amendment to the scheme including the provision of outdoor swimming pool and gardener’s store
2014

Certificate of lawfulness for the implementation of the scheme
2015

Amendment to the scheme for an extension to the underground spa
2016

Listed building consent for the replacement of the main entrance steps
2017

Permission for enlarged pool pavilion
2018

Applications for ancillary facilities including creche, boathouse, tennis court and plant
2019

Planned completion date

1 /08

2008

Planning permission and listed building consent secured for the conversion to hotel use

2011

Amendment to the scheme including the provision of outdoor swimming pool and gardener’s store

2014

Certificate of lawfulness for the implementation of the scheme

2015

Amendment to the scheme for an extension to the underground spa

2016

Listed building consent for the replacement of the main entrance steps

2017

Permission for enlarged pool pavilion

2018

Applications for ancillary facilities including creche, boathouse, tennis court and plant

2019

Planned completion date

Key details

Project name
Langley Park Hotel

Client
Vivenda Regina NV

Location
Langley Park Hotel, Slough

Services provided

Planning
Heritage
Archaeology

Challenge

The House is Grade II* listed and set within a registered historic park and garden designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. The proposed alteration required sensitive consideration to the listed building and the historic landscaping. The building is within the Green Belt and the planning application required the provision of a ‘Very Special Circumstances’, which focussed on the benefits that the sensitive and viable reuse of the vacant property would bring.

The site has several ecology interests including bat roosting trees, bat foraging areas, and mature Oak trees on the ground.

Solution

RPS developed a case to justify very special circumstances to overcome the presumption against development within the Green Belt. We worked closely with the development team taking into account heritage, archaeology and ecological impacts on the listed building and the site’s historic landscape.

The project has required close working with a number of statutory bodies, including joint working with Historic England, the local authority and County Archaeologist to coordinate the planning and heritage work associated with the restoration of the property and its reuse as a hotel.

The scheme is a long-running and ongoing project and we have maintained close relationships with the client and the development team to achieve various amendments to the scheme.