Another Bid to Convert Former L'Oreal Building into Flats

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Long-running saga of office block on Hammersmith Road set to continue

Picture: 255 Hammersmith Road

September 21, 2026

A fresh planning application has been submitted to convert L’Oréal’s former UK headquarters in Hammersmith into 137 flats, marking the latest step in a long-running attempt to repurpose the vacant nine-storey office block on the corner of Hammersmith Road and Butterwick. The new submission, registered under planning reference P/2026/02396/PACU1, seeks prior approval for a change of use from offices to residential.

The building, which has stood empty since L’Oréal’s lease expired in September 2023, was first the subject of a similar application last year. That proposal, lodged in September 2025, argued that despite a comprehensive refurbishment in 1998, the structure had become environmentally inefficient and no longer met the expectations of modern office occupiers. Planning consultancy Quod, acting for the applicant FORE Jersey VIII Limited, said at the time that the building’s configuration and design were outdated and that demand for lower-grade office space in Hammersmith had fallen sharply as occupiers sought higher-quality accommodation elsewhere.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council refused the 2025 application, citing concerns including the lack of inclusive access to cycle parking, insufficient information about deliveries and servicing, and what officers described as an unacceptable approach to healthy streets within the Transport Statement. The council also raised issues around site access and the clarity of supporting documents.

Quod has now returned with an amended submission that it says addresses those concerns. Much of the proposal mirrors last year’s plans, including the number and mix of homes. The scheme would deliver 137 self-contained flats across eight upper floors, with the ground floor reserved for cycle parking, waste storage, plant rooms and lifts. Thirteen of the homes would be one-bedroom units for single occupants, 103 would be one-bedroom units designed for two people, and 21 would be two-bedroom homes for three people. The development would be car-free apart from 14 Blue Badge parking bays, and would include 218 long-stay cycle spaces and additional short-stay provision.

The application notes that the existing entrance sits below street level and is difficult to identify, with steps restricting access and street furniture cluttering the approach. No external alterations are proposed as part of the prior approval submission, but the applicant indicates that any future physical changes would be brought forward through a separate planning application.

Hammersmith Town Centre is designated as one of the borough’s key regeneration areas, with the council’s Supplementary Planning Document for the area, adopted last July, setting out ambitions for 2,800 new homes and 10,000 jobs by 2035. The redevelopment of older commercial buildings is expected to play a significant role in meeting those targets.

Residents who wish to comment on the application can do so through the council’s online planning portal by searching for P/2026/02396/PACU1. Comments can also be submitted by email or post to the planning department, but must include the reference number and the commenter’s name and address.

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