A long-dormant plan to demolish the rundown corner of Putney High Street and Putney Bridge Road and replace it with a 10-storey hotel, new shops, and office space appears to be back in motion — offering the prospect of long-awaited regeneration, but also raising concerns about traffic, disruption, and scale.
The site covering 31–43 Putney High Street, has long been a visual and commercial blight at the gateway to Putney. Currently the home of Preto Brazilian steakhouse, much of the site is vacant or under-used, with short-term tenants and boarded-up shopfronts.
Business like Subway have come and gone, and the remaining tenants — Gadget Xchange and Tech Zone Exchange — have traded amid years of uncertainty about the site’s future.
Reviving a stalled scheme
Planning permission for the redevelopment was granted in 2021, following a submission made in 2017 by developer Mosser Limited. The approved scheme includes:
- A 198-room hotel, expected to operate under the Hub by Premier Inn brand
- Three ground-floor commercial units for retail, food, or café use
- 321 square metres of office space
- A new rear service yard via Levellers Court and other supporting infrastructure
The modern, stepped building will rise from seven to ten storeys, replacing the current low-rise parade.
However, after the 2021 approval, the developer appeared to shelve the project — leaving the corner to deteriorate further, and contributing to the High Street’s malaise.
A linked application for adjacent buildings on Putney Bridge Road — also approved but never acted on — remains dormant.
Condition 15: a sign of reactivation
Now, Mosser Limited has submitted an application [pdf] to discharge Condition 15 of the planning permission — a technical but significant step that likely indicates the development is being revived.
Condition 15 required the developer to submit a Delivery and Servicing Plan (DSP) before the site could be occupied. That plan, now submitted to the council, sets out how deliveries, collections, and waste servicing will be managed — both during construction and once the site is operational — including delivery hours, vehicle types, and access routes.
A discharge of condition means the developer is asking the council to confirm they’ve satisfied that requirement — something that typically only happens when work is about to begin or resume.
What residents were shown in 2017
At a public exhibition at St Mary’s Church in late 2017, residents were shown early designs for the scheme. According to the consultation documents, the plans featured:
- A new hotel positioned prominently on the corner of Putney High Street and Putney Bridge Road
- Retail units built up on the right-hand side (where they exist now, but built to a much greater height)
- A new pedestrian route through to the Levellers Court courtyard — currently a little-used and run-down space with access only from Putney Bridge Road
The consultation acknowledged that Levellers Court, while technically public domain, was “currently underused”. Locals are likely to use much stronger terms. The proposed cut-through aimed to bring new visibility and footfall into the space.
Community feedback: cautious support, some concerns
Feedback gathered at the time included a mix of support and worry:
- Many welcomed investment in the High Street and a plan to remove what was widely seen as a neglected eyesore.
- But some worried about the hotel’s height, loss of sunlight to neighbouring properties, and the effect on Putney’s visual character.
- Traffic and servicing were also raised repeatedly — with particular concern about how delivery vehicles would use Levellers Court.
The consultation report concluded that feedback was “broadly positive”, with strong support for improving the site’s appearance, but also made clear that residents expected high standards of design and construction management.
A turning point for Putney?
If work goes ahead, it would mark a significant moment for Putney High Street, especially coming just weeks after Marks & Spencer confirmed plans to reopen its nearby store following sustained public pressure.
Together, the two projects could help lift the High Street out of a prolonged slump, bringing new footfall, business, and architectural renewal.
But it is worth noting that with traffic congestion on the High Street worse than ever, any new disruption could push public frustration to breaking point.
Watching this space
Still, for many, the revival of the corner site is long overdue. The buildings have stood largely empty for years, and their condition has only dragged down the surrounding area.
With the developer moving to satisfy conditions and re-engage with the council, it appears construction could soon begin.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on next steps — and on whether the long-promised regeneration of Putney’s central crossroads finally gets underway.
