ABOUT
SERVICES
OFFICES & WORKSPACES
WAREHOUSING & INDUSTRIAL
CONVERSIONS & REDEVELOPMENT
RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS
HOSPITALITY & LEISURE
DATA CENTER & TECH INFRASTRUCTURE
RENEWABLE ENERGY
INVESTOR & DEVELOPER SERVICES
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
SERVICES
Contact us
Get in touch
If you have a project, let us be the solution. Leave your details here and we will be in touch to discuss the details
74 Allitsen Road, St John's Wood — Feasibility & Design Study
A design-led feasibility study for a derelict conservation-area building, exploring how a former private members' club can become high-quality residential apartments — balancing heritage sensitivity, planning policy and commercial viability.
4
Design Options Developed
Up to 7
Apartments Possible
Area
458m²
Total Existing GIA
St John's Wood
Craftex was appointed to prepare a feasibility study for 74 Allitsen Road, a vacant corner building in the St John's Wood Conservation Area, Westminster. Previously known as The Lyndhurst Club — once a public house, later a private members' club — the building has stood empty and fallen into disrepair. The brief was to assess the building's potential for residential conversion, working within Westminster's planning policy and the constraints of a listed conservation setting, while identifying the most viable path to bringing the building back into use.
Positioned at the corner of Allitsen Road and Charlbert Street, the building sits within a sensitive conservation area opposite two Grade II listed properties. Every design decision had to respond to this context — respecting existing proportions, materials and the character of the surrounding streetscape.
A feasibility study for the redevelopment of a vacant, four-storey corner building into high-quality residential apartments — assessing planning context, structural condition and design options side by side.
In line with the Westminster City Plan and the London Plan's design-led approach, four design options were developed — each tested against planning policy, structural constraints and the practical realities of converting a historic building into modern homes.
Project Overview
A building shaped by its context
A design-led approach to planning
Did you like our work?
We thought you might! Leave your details here
and we will be in touch to discuss your project
GET FREE CONSULTATION and we will be in touch to discuss your project
How It Works
Assess. Explore. Recommend.
01
02
03
Structural assessment carried out with specialist engineers
Planning policy and conservation area context reviewed
Site constraints, boundaries and streetscape relationships mapped
Full external and internal appraisal of the existing building
Options compared on buildability, planning risk and viability
Four design options developed, from minimal intervention to full conversion
Each option tested against London Plan space standards
Design cues drawn from neighbouring buildings for authenticity
Sustainability appraisal covering energy, water and materials
Clear next steps defined for further survey and design development
Schedule of accommodation prepared for each option
Roof and basement potential explored for additional habitable space
Site & Building Appraisal
Step Two
Step Three
Step One
Recommendation & Next Steps
Design Options
Prime feasibility work starts with understanding what a building will allow, not what a client wants to see. At 74 Allitsen Road, historic floor-to-floor heights, blocked openings and a restrictive basement level all shaped what was possible. Rather than forcing a single design, we mapped out every genuine option — from a light-touch conversion to a fully maximised scheme — so the client could make an informed decision grounded in real constraints, not assumptions.
Reading a difficult building
A site within the St John's Wood Conservation Area, opposite two listed buildings, leaves little room for guesswork. Our planning review cross-referenced the Westminster City Plan, the London Plan and national policy to identify where the building could grow — and where it couldn't. The result was a set of design options that stay true to the street's character while still unlocking genuine additional value for the client.
Planning within a conservation area
Each of the four design options was developed to the same rigour: schedule of accommodation, minimum GIA compliance, structural feasibility and sustainability appraisal. From a minimal four-apartment scheme to a maximised seven-apartment layout using the basement and roof, every option was pressure-tested so the client wasn't just seeing pretty pictures — they were seeing buildable, policy-compliant paths forward.
Executing options that stand up to scrutiny
The feasibility study gave the client four clearly defined, comparable options — each with its own trade-offs between intervention, cost and yield. With planning context, structural risk and design options all mapped out, the client is now equipped to choose a direction with confidence, backed by further detailed survey work before formal planning submission.
The result, and what happens next
Our gallery
Ready to get started?
Bringing heritage buildings back to life, the right way.
Whether it's a derelict conservation-area building or a period property in need of reimagining, we'll guide you from feasibility through to planning-ready design — balancing heritage character with modern living standards, on time and within budget.
Case studies
- Portsoken House I Aldgate, London
- Kensington Olympia Penthouse I London
- Beaumont House I West Kensington, London
- Portsoken House Reception I Aldgate London
Every commercial fit-out has its constraints. Here's how this one was solved.
Challenges
01
A derelict, historic building
Years of disrepair, blocked openings and unverified past alterations left the true condition unclear.
02
A sensitive conservation area site
The corner plot sits opposite two Grade II listed buildings, under strict planning oversight.
03
Restrictive existing floor heights
A basement too low to inhabit and a roof space left entirely unused limited the building's potential.
04
Balancing viability with heritage
Maximising the number of apartments risked compromising the building's historic character.
Solutions
01
Structural assessment first
A full structural survey established a safe, verified baseline before any design option was developed.
02
Design cues drawn from context
Window proportions, roofline and materials were matched to neighbouring buildings on both streets.
03
Four design options, four outcomes
Options ranged from no intervention to full basement excavation and roof conversion, giving real choice.
04
Every option tested against policy
Each design was cross-checked against Westminster City Plan and London Plan space standards.
Challenges & Solutions
Our team
in
Sviatoslav Jerdetchii
CEO & FOUNDER
He skillfully assembles small, specialized teams for construction projects...
LEARN MORE
in
Joe Crawford
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
Joe has 37 years of experience working on both the commercial and operational side...
LEARN MORE
in
Martin Hickey
PRECONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR
Martin has over 50 years of experience in construction having started as a labourer...
LEARN MORE
in
Konstantin Jegorovs
PROJECTS DIRECTOR
Konstantin brings a wealth of experience, insights and knowledge to his role...
LEARN MORE
× ![]()
