150 Holborn, EC1

In the London Borough of Camden, Holborn has been identified as an ‘area for intensification’ in the London Plan with higher densities encouraged and is deemed a ‘growth area’ in Camden’s Core Strategy with new business directed to such areas. 150 Holborn is located between Hatton Garden, Chancery Lane and Bloomsbury Conservation Areas and sits in the viewing corridor of the protected vista from Primrose Hill, with a threshold plane height above the site at 52.1m.

All the plant is at the end of its economic life and needs to be replaced. Replacement will enable a consolidation of the plant and equipment thereby freeing up space at roof level and in the basement plant rooms to allow additional net lettable space. The introduction of a system of heating and cooling from ceiling distribution will enable floor mounted induction units to be removed with the creation of more lettable space. Due to the restricted slab to slab heights a chilled beam solution was chosen.

Part L obliges a project to spend 10% of the construction costs on measures to improve carbon efficiency. This will be met largely by the replacement of old plant with new, more efficient equipment; the replacement or alteration of the windows and internal perimeter insulation to overcome cold bridging inherent in the 80’s design of the building with a new protective rain screen. Additional floor area will be provided to accommodate the addition of 2-bed apartments with a raised garden provided over the rear delivery yard. The works will be carried out without disruption to the existing retail units.