A south London department store is set to be turned into a new hotel after the local council approved controversial planning permissions.
The independently-owned Morleys closed in April after trading for 70 years near Tooting Broadway.
After shutting its doors, Wandsworth Council approved plans to convert the building into a multi-use space for accommodation and shops.
The plans were proposed by Criterion Capital, a real estate firm which owns and manages several multimillion-pound properties across the capital. Its portfolio includes the Zedwell hotel chain and the Harte and Garter in Windsor.
According to planning permissions, most of the Morleys building would be transformed into a 92-room hotel, with a small amount of floor space retained for shops at the front of the building.
However, a petition signed by 400 residents has voiced opposition to the project. Labour councillor Sean Lawless stated that the objections stem from a similar incident in the area where a site was slated to become a hotel but was later converted into temporary housing.
According to the BBC, Mr Lawless said that residents will need assurances that the renovation will follow the terms of the proposed project, as they are concerned about how planning permission could be granted for a hotel when there is “no real proof” it is needed in the area.
Local resident Jack Gebhard told the Metro that the hotel’s approval feels like a “slap in the face”.
“We are already well-served for hotels here, so you have to wonder where they’re going to get the demand from,” he said.
A spokesperson for Wandsworth Council told The Independent: “Planning permission has been granted subject to conditions for the conversion of the Morleys building to a mixed-use development with hotel accommodation and retail space.
“This decision supports the Council’s commitment to revitalising underused buildings, promoting sustainable development, and enhancing the local economy.
“We appreciate the contributions made during the consultation process and look forward to the positive impact this scheme will have on the area.”
Meanwhile, Labour councillor Matthew Tiller said that the empty store would be more useful if it were converted into more housing rather than a hotel.
He said: “This does feel like a wasted opportunity to provide new housing rather than yet another hotel. It would be nice, if we possibly could, to push things in that direction.”
However, planning officer Nigel Granger assured the councillors that the building would need a separate application and major changes if it were to be converted into another use, with assessments of the building so far ruling out its viability for permanent housing.
The decision concluded with six councillors voting in favour of the hotel project, while two voted against.
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