Morley House and City Temple Church

Consultation Website

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Transforming Morley House and securing the long-term future of City Temple church

We are proud to be bringing City Temple back to the heart of the City, restoring this significant heritage asset and ensuring its future as a vital community space.
The redevelopment of the Site will secure the long-term future of the Temple and provide a 600-seat conference and meeting facility plus new flexible commercial space, enriching the cultural fabric of the area. This investment will reinstate the church as a community asset, supporting the vibrant congregation and providing a space for local community groups including St Bart’s choir to return.
Alongside this, an existing planning permission for a new hotel on the Morley House part of the site is to be replaced with a revised design, transforming the existing underutilised office building into a high-quality, sustainably designed hotel, operated under Staycity’s premium Wilde brand.
You can find further details on our proposals below. More information will also be uploaded to the website on 15th May, to coincide with our consultation event.
We are keen to engage with the local community and want to hear your feedback before submitting a planning application to the City of London Corporation. Read on to find out how you can get involved in our public consultation.
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The team

Altius Real Estate

Altius Real Estate is an independently owned, multi-disciplinary developer working across the full spectrum of land uses from acquisition through to occupation. The Altius team is experienced in Central London development, working with best-in-class partners across office, residential and hospitality sectors. Altius’s most recent project is 20 Carlton House Terrace, an exemplar 200,000 sqft adaptive reuse office scheme in St James. Altius is a certified B Corp with a foundational belief in the principles of ESG.

Staycity

Staycity, Operator and Funder – Staycity is one of Europe’s leading hotel operators with over 6,000 rooms across Europe. The company is targeting locations like Farringdon that provide a combination of cultural, leisure and business. The Wilde brand, proposed for Morley House, is Staycity’s premium offer, combining hotel standards with apartment living so guests can enjoy the comforts of home, whether they are staying for a week, a month or a year. Staycity has an ambitious ESG Strategy that includes carbon mitigation measures in both construction and operation.

Aukett Swanke

Aukett Swanke is a London-based Architecture, Masterplanning, and Interior Design studio dedicated to smart, sustainable design that has a lasting, positive impact on people and communities. 
They create places and buildings that enrich their neighbourhoods, the lives of the people that use them and that have a strong sense of responsibility to the planet. Aukett Swanke’s studio is in Moorgate, and they currently have a number of projects in the City of London. Their portfolio in the City stretches back over 50 years, and includes hotels and leisure.

Explore the site

Morley House is a well-positioned site on Holborn Viaduct, the gateway to London's Culture Mile.

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The site sits between the Grade II-listed Step House and the historic City Temple church, with the Grade I-listed Church of St Andrew, Holborn, forming part of its wider setting. With significant developments shaping the surrounding context, Morley House presents a unique opportunity to contribute to the area’s continued transformation. Located within a five-minute walk of Farringdon Station, the site benefits from exceptional connectivity via the Elizabeth Line and City Thameslink.
While the previous owner initiated early works, including a soft strip and tower crane installation, the project has yet to progress. Currently, Morley House is an outdated 1980s office building, partially prepared but never fully redeveloped by previous owners. With existing planning permission for hotel use granted in 2020, and further revised in 2022, the building presents a unique opportunity for transformation, unlocking the full potential of this site through sensitive redevelopment.

Our Proposals

Restoring City Temple church to bring this key community heritage asset back to the City of London

Restoring the church as a community asset, providing local community groups including St Bart’s choir with the space and opportunity to return

New flexible meeting and event space at City Temple church, providing a sustainable source of income to ensure the future of City Temple

A high quality building and landmark hotel, with an F&B, pantry shop and coworking offer, that will enhance the City of London’s hospitality offering along with separate new workspace

A sustainable and future-focused design, featuring air source heat pumps, minimal rooftop plant, and opportunities for greening and biodiversity net gain

Enhancing the streetscape with active frontages and an improved pedestrian experience, bolstering the vibrancy of Holborn Viaduct

EXHIBITION BOARDS

Morley House is a well-positioned site on Holborn Viaduct, the gateway to London's Culture Mile.

Have your say

We’re here to listen and keen to hear what you think.

Consultation
Event

  • Thursday 15th May
  • 11am-3pm
  • City Temple, Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2DE
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  • We are keen to hear your feedback on the proposals. Complete our survey to have your say!
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