Second phase of St James’s Market gets go-ahead

Our design for a second phase of St James’s Market for The Crown Estate and Oxford Properties has been given the green light by Westminster planners.

By combining new-build elements with the retained Grade II-listed cinema on Haymarket and the historic facades on Charles II Street and Haymarket Street, we will create some of the most adaptable floorplates in the West End, transforming outdated stock into a single high-quality building for office and retail uses.

The scheme will complete the broader vision of the St James’s Market redevelopment, with full pedestrianisation of the public space along Norris Street, Charles II Street and St James’s Market created during the delivery of the first St James’s Market phase – designed by us – in 2016.

The new-build elements sensitively respond to the site’s heritage, including the retaining and remodelling of the historic facades along south Haymarket and Charles II Street. Atop these historic facades will be a new two-storey traditional mansard with slate tiling. The listed cinema facade will be cleaned and renewed to its former glory as the new centrepiece to the Haymarket elevation.

New cladding elements include an elegant woven Portland stone facade along north Haymarket and a dynamic double-curved metal lattice at the north-west corner of the block, where the building has been pulled back to provide space for the St James’s Market public realm. For the first time, views will be possible through the space, from Haymarket to Regent Street St James’s and vice versa. The ground floor will offer adaptable retail and restaurant spaces.

Matthew Bugg, project architect at Make said: “Phase 2 of St James’s Market sees sensitive heritage integration complement transformational placemaking, which is underpinned by dynamic and beautiful building design. These buildings will provide maximum adaptability to allow for a diversity of future occupiers. We’ve carefully considered the ‘health’ of the indoor and outdoor spaces and choice of materials to ensure the wellbeing of occupiers and visitors, encouraging the most positive experience possible.”

Matthew Giles, head of development and project management at The Crown Estate, said: “We are delighted to have secured approval for this significant new scheme at St James’s Market, which will enable us to build on the success of phase one. This new development gives us the opportunity to deliver the next generation of flexible space, achieving a new standard for sustainable placemaking and delivering positive impact for the local area and local people.”

21st-century placemaking

St James’s Market