London Hotel Group (LHG) has secured permission to transform the abandoned Tooting Constitutional Club into an apart-hotel, as part of a plan to develop the surrounding community.

Falling into a state of disrepair, the 1917-built club’s buildings and external spaces had been abandoned since 2013 – until the London Hotel Group purchased the landmark property in August 2017.

The hotel group has secured planning permission to turn it into a 221-room, 3,716-square-metre apart-hotel that will include a café and restaurant, plus a rebuilt community clubhouse and a public green space to add to the community’s tourism attractions.

“Our new £40million apart-hotel development responds to the needs of the local community”

Christian Desira, director of LHG, gave a statement on how the development will affect the community: “Tooting is a lively and growing area, attracting residents and tourists alike. Our new £40million apart-hotel development responds to the needs of the local community by creating a purpose-built community hub, as well as meeting a currently unfulfilled need for hotel accommodation for visitors, in and around the Tooting area. The apart-hotel will be operated by a well-known international hotel brand, and will achieve a four-star rating.”

The approved design will respond to the character of the area. The old clubhouse will be rebuilt with a 632sqm landscaped courtyard, children’s play area, and a 90sqm café.

The courtyard will include light wells that are key features in the subterranean hotel suites that make up four of the nine floors of the apart-hotel. The light wells will allow natural light and ventilation to the ground floor and subterranean rooms, and simulate the day’s natural cycle.

Public areas will include a reception area, lobby, café and restaurant on the ground floor, with floor-to-ceiling glass panels to create a seamless view between residents and passers-by.

Desira further said: “LHG has an enviable track record of well-received developments, such as the £90million hospitality hub at 585-603 London Road, Croydon, and the innovative 181-room landmark Best Western Plus London Wembley Hotel. This scheme is a practical example of where we were able to convert a previously granted residential scheme into a stylish and viable apart-hotel.”

“We were able to convert a previously granted residential scheme into a stylish and viable apart-hotel”

The construction is expected to begin on August 2018 with a provisional completion date of July 2020, and an opening date of August of the same year.