Soho Tesco could be knocked down if Hines office plans passed

A Tesco Express on Dean Street in Soho could be demolished to make way for a new nine-storey office block.

Plans submitted by Hines to Westminster City Council would see the supermarket at 2-4 Dean Street replaced by around 78,000 sq ft of office space, with two Class E Units at ground level for commercial use.

The £100 million proposals also include designs for terrace spaces on the fifth, sixth and roof levels.

Hines’ plans, designed by architectural firm Orms, also outlines blueprints for a publicly accessible, double height “Soho Bazaar” at ground floor level, with access through an entrance on Dean Street.

The proposals have been submitted following a number of pre-application meetings with the local authority as well as a series of public consultations.

The site was developed in the late 17th Century although the building itself was constructed in 1929, and importantly in the case of the planning application, is not listed.

Hines originally acquired the site in 2020. The target date for a decision is March 2023, and if approved, work is expected to begin in the summer.