Carlton Tower Hotel, Cadogan Place, Kensington

We prepared a visual and design appraisal for a hearing, supporting the development of a screened outdoor enclosure at the Hotel. This followed objections raised by Kensington and Chelsea regarding townscape and design issues, particularly concerns about “built clutter,” the negative impact on the street scene, and views within the Hans Town Conservation Area.
Cadogan Place is located in the Sloane Street sub-area, which features a variety of architectural styles, with the Queen Anne style being the most prominent. The Cadogan Hotel and the Danish Embassy (built in 1977) are key landmarks in an otherwise fragmented street scene where buildings jostle for attention. The Hotel, a large concrete structure, dominates the skyline. It borders Cadogan Place Gardens, which is listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Whilst the Hotel features regular window spacing on the upper levels, the lower floors have an unbalanced architectural arrangement, resulting in a poor sense of enclosure at ground level.
Our local view analysis concluded that the proposed development would not affect the key buildings that define the area’s character. We also assessed that the ground floor of the Hotel is outside the panoramic views of the Gardens, so the proposal would not alter its character.