Cavendish Square is set to be transformed into a subterranean mixed-use destination in the heart of London’s West End. The cutting edge design will regenerate 1960s structure below Georgian square into a subterranean healthcare, wellness and retail destination. It will be the UK’s first development to extend the reach of the booming Harley Street Medical Area. Designs bear a sustainability feature to reduce traffic pollution and enhance green space. Located beneath Cavendish Square Gardens, the site is currently an underground car park, but will be redeveloped to create a dynamic mix of retail, medical, wellness and leisure accommodation.
The plans will see the creation of 280,000ft² of space across four storeys below ground level. At street level two glazed lanterns will frame a new entrance facing Oxford Street and provide natural light for the floors below. Statement entrances to Harley Street and Regent Street complete the development which will be one of the West End’s largest, with floors of up to 80,000ft² and floor to ceiling heights of up to 8m.
Plans for the scheme, Cavendish Square London, have been submitted to Westminster City Council and, subject to planning approval, construction is expected to start on site in late 2020, with completion in 2022. Reef Group is in active discussions with a range of exciting occupiers who could move into the space.
The development will expand the footprint of the Harley Street Medical Area and deliver much-needed specialist facilities for London’s growing independent healthcare market, which doubled in size between 2007 and 2017. These will be complemented by a range of retail and leisure uses, with a strong wellbeing and sustainability theme throughout.
Reef have worked closely with Westminster City Council in designing a unique and iconic destination for London. We will invest in excess of £100m in developing a vibrant, sustainable and sensitively designed subterranean mixed use ‘place’ that will combine retail, leisure, medical, health and wellbeing. The historic Georgian square will be restored to its former glory, becoming more accessible to the public than ever before with improved public realm. Cavendish Square will become an oasis in the heart of London and as well as providing an interesting mix of occupiers, we hope the plans will encourage more public events to take place within the square.
S. Deering, Joint Chief Executive of Reef Group.
First landscaped in 1729, Cavendish Square is one of London’s original Georgian squares, but in 1969 the site was significantly disrupted and lost much of its connection with the surrounding area when the current car park was constructed.
Reef Group’s plans will restore connections with Hanover Square and will complement Westminster City Council’s Oxford Street District proposals, which will see the above-ground park and surrounding public realm enhanced to improve pedestrian access into Cavendish Square. The project will be one of London’s most sustainable developments, reducing traffic volumes and reusing much of the existing car park structure.