‘London’s greenest building’ gets the green light

Plans to transform 61-65 Holborn Viaduct into a mixed-used development, including a 382-bedroom hotel, have been given the go-ahead.

The 11-storey Citicape House, overseen by real estate and private equity firm Dominvs Group, will feature a 3,700 sq m green wall, which is expected to be the largest in Europe. The developer claims the wall will generate seven tonnes of oxygen and extract nine tonnes of CO2 in a year.

The hotel will also have a restaurant and bar, and the site will include 3,741 sq m of office space and a landscaped public roof terrace. The cost of the transformation could reach £250m.

Dominvs Group’s hospitality portfolio also includes the Dixon hotel in Tower Bridge, the Arbor City Hotel London, as well as two hotels in Aberdeen operating under a franchise agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). The group also has a pipeline of 12 sites.

Preet Ahluwalia, director at Dominvs Group, said: “Dominvs Group is delighted to have brought forward proposals to deliver the transformation of Citicape House. Our application will see the regeneration of a site which has stood vacant for a decade, delivering a high-quality hotel and office led development with a roof garden, encased in an acre of green wall.

“The green wall, which has been produced by Sheppard Robson architects and Phil Allen Design, will play a significant role in absorbing carbon dioxide and Dominvs is delighted to be improving air quality and sustainability in the City of London.”

Alastair Moss, chair of the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee, added: “The City Corporation has a real interest in urban greening, and we hope this building will prove to be a fantastic example of what is possible for future developments.”