Camden Council has resolved to grant planning consent to Lazari for the re-modelling of the entrance and steps and a new sixth floor rooftop terrace at Greater London House, an art deco landmark on Mornington Crescent.
The refurbishment and related internal works will transform the range of amenity space through a stunning new entrance and reception area, food and beverage hospitality space, communal co-working facilities and enticing external spaces for work and relaxation on the roof and in the lightwells.
The building is home to global fashion retailer ASOS, global beauty company Revlon, British Heart Foundation and the UK’s largest housing association Clarion Housing. Upon completion of the refurbishment, there will be a further 85,000 square feet of office space available to let, benefitting from 3.7 metre floor to ceiling heights, new air conditioning and private terraces.
Lazari will take the opportunity to improve access to the building, connect it better to the street and present a more elegant and greener face to neighbours and passers by on all sides.
Originally developed in 1928 in Egyptian Revival art deco style, it maintained its original use as the Carreras ‘Black Cat’ cigarette factory until 1958. The six-storey building was transformed into 376,000 sq ft of office space offering abundant natural light and floor-to-ceiling heights approaching four metres.
Lazari acquired Greater London House in August 2007 and completed its first significant internal reconstruction in 2019, winning the British Council for Offices Regional Award for Best Refurbished/Recycled Workplace 2022. That refurbishment introduced biophilic design, outdoor amenity space, circadian lighting, electric car charging and generous cycle storage with changing facilities.
The imminent upgrade includes:
- A generous 6,157 sq ft reception area, more in keeping with the scale of the building.
- A communal roof terrace on the 6th floor, providing amenity and exceptional views.
- Larger, more welcoming steps from the street, providing a grander main entrance with an art deco inspired design.
New private terraces along the full Hampstead Road frontage will provide landscaped outdoor space with integrated seating for Greater London House tenants. The terraces will enhance the building’s street presence and create a clear connection to the park opposite.
Existing photovoltaic panels will be relocated and an additional 16 panels will be installed to produce a potential 6.4 kWp, saving 2,330 kg CO₂/yr emissions.
Despite the additional solar panels, the sixth floor terrace finds space for a significant increase in urban greening and biodiversity with multiple planters, climbers, green walls and a green roof.
Melvyn Hale, Group Director of Developments at Lazari, comments, “Our continuing investment maintains the building’s relevance in London’s office market and its status as a key employment location in the borough.
“A factory is a great starting point for an office building. It’s structure naturally gives you large, open spaces with plenty of light. Not many offices give you four metre ceiling heights. The latest, substantial upgrade will bring a variety of outdoor spaces that can accommodate individual relaxation, socialising or meetings, large and small.”
Lazari’s advisers in preparing the proposals included planning consultant Newmark, architects DMFK, landscape architects the Landscape Partnership and structural engineer the Morton Partnership.
The planning consent for upgraded office space at Greater London House follows the letting Lazari secured in June 2025 for the entire 115,000 sq ft office space at The Lazari Building, 7 Brook Street, the iconic former Fenwick department store. International law firm McDermott Will & Emery has agreed to a 15-year lease and will relocate from its current home at 22 Bishopsgate to its new UK headquarters in 2028.
