Camden Council receives hotel plan for Churchill House, Red Lion Square

Camden Council has received a planning application to convert Churchill House, 35 Red Lion Square, from institutional use to a hotel. The proposal, submitted under reference 2026/3113/P, includes removing the existing upper floors and constructing new levels to create an eight-storey building. The altered facades would be retained, as reported by the Ham & High on 29 July 2026.

Churchill House is a Grade II-listed building in Holborn, central London. The application does not specify the number of rooms or the operator of the proposed hotel. It is unclear whether the building currently houses offices, a public institution, or another use. Camden Council’s planning portal lists the application as open for consultation, but the deadline for comments has not been published.

Read Next in Barnet Press5 min read

UK National Risk Register highlights food, energy and environmental threats

Data centres, LNG expansion and livestock farming among risks flagged in government assessment

What the application proposes

The scheme involves structural changes to the building’s upper levels. The existing floors would be removed and replaced with new construction to achieve eight storeys. The facades, which are protected due to the building’s listed status, would be retained but altered. No details have been provided about internal layouts, accessibility provisions, or parking arrangements.

The application does not include a heritage impact assessment or a transport statement. It is unclear whether the council has requested additional information from the applicant. Camden Council’s planning committee will consider the proposal once the consultation period closes and all submissions have been reviewed.

Related Borough Coverage5 min read

Camden tops UK air pollution rankings, WHO limits exceeded across London

Residents in Holborn, St Giles and Covent Garden breathe nearly four times the recommended PM2.5 levels

How residents can respond

Residents, businesses, and community groups can submit comments on the application through Camden Council’s planning portal. The reference number is 2026/3113/P. Comments must be made before the consultation deadline, which has not yet been set. The council has not indicated whether a public meeting or site visit will be arranged.

The Public Notice Portal, which carries statutory planning notices, lists the application as live. Camden Council said the portal is the fastest way for residents to track planning applications in their neighbourhood. The council has not provided a direct link to the application on its own website.

What happens next

Camden Council’s planning officers will review the application and all submitted comments. They may request further details from the applicant, such as traffic assessments or heritage statements. The application will then be referred to the planning committee, which will decide whether to approve, refuse, or defer the proposal.

If approved, the building’s institutional use would end, and the site would be redeveloped as a hotel. The council has not stated whether the applicant has committed to retaining any local employment or community services currently provided at the site. No timeline has been given for a decision.