EPR Architects have put forth plans to revamp the erstwhile Belgravia police station into a 252-room luxury hotel. Located at 202-206 Buckingham Palace Road, the project is poised to become the third London venue for the rapidly growing hotelier, The Other Group. The group inaugurated its debut hotel in South Kensington in the previous year and has another establishment, designed by Falconer Chester Hall, scheduled to open in Covent Garden by 2024.

The Belgravia Police Station, adjacent to Ebury Square Gardens, was shut down in 2022 by Mayor Sadiq Khan as part of a Metropolitan Police restructure. The Other Group acquired the property later that year.

The proposed design aims to replace the police station’s 1990s exterior with a white-brick facade reminiscent of the townhouses in Victoria and Belgravia. While the majority of the 1993 building’s structural frame and basement will be preserved, sections of the upper and lower levels will be demolished.

EPR’s vision is to enhance the building’s compatibility with the Georgian and Victorian townhouses that dominate Belgravia and Victoria’s streetscape. The firm commented on the need for a significant transformation, stating that the existing facade doesn’t reflect the architectural essence of the Belgravia region.

The revamped structure will rise from its current five levels to nine. The top floors will house premium rooms with terraces, while the other floors will accommodate guest rooms. The ground floor will feature a reception, restaurant, and lounge, with a gym and spa planned for the basement.

The project’s team comprises several notable names, including cost consultant Gardiner & Theobald, structural and civil engineer Heyne Tillett Steel, and landscape architect Andy Sturgeon, among others.

In related news, EPR’s designs for a £300m basement extension of the Ritz in Mayfair received approval in 2021. However, their proposal for a 70-room hotel in the same district was declined on appeal.