Qatari Diar has broken ground at 30 Grosvenor Square to develop a new Rosewood hotel in Mayfair.

The total cost of the project will be about £1bn. The hotel will comprise 137 guest rooms, five restaurants, six flagship retail units, a spa and a ballroom with space for 1,000 guests.

Abdullah al-Attiyah, Qatari Diar CEO, commented: "Today, as we break ground at 30 Grosvenor Square, marks a momentous occasion for Qatari Diar. The opportunity to transform such an iconic address is something that only happens once in a lifetime and we are extremely proud to be responsible for it. We recognise the history of the building and are dedicated to sensitively redeveloping the former US Embassy into a new destination on Grosvenor Square."

The project is due to be completed in 2023.

Westminster City Council has decided to grant planning permission at American Embassy, 24-31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE, for:

Alterations to the existing building including retention & repair of the front and side facades, part demolition & replacement of the rear facade, rear extension of the 2nd-5th floors, removal of existing & introduction of a new 6th floor, introduction of a new set-back 7th floor, extension of the existing basement levels to include two additional basement levels (including one mezzanine level), installation of roof plant & plant screen, public realm works including hard & soft landscaping, removal of the security kiosks, fencing, bollards & gates/barriers to Blackburne's Mews & Culross Street, removal & replacement of 6 No. trees on the Grosvenor Square frontage & re-opening of the road on the western side of the Square, all in connection with the use of the building as a hotel (Class C1) comprising up to 137 hotel rooms, with flexible retail/restaurant use at part 1st floor, ground floor and basement 1 (Class A1/Class A3/Class C1), flexible retail at part ground and first floor levels (Class A1/Class C1), flexible restaurant/bar use at part 7th floor (Class A3/Class A4/Class C1), leisure/spa facilities within part basement (Class D2/Class C1) & ancillary ballroom, event spaces, back of house facilities & associated car, cycle parking & servicing facilities accessed from Blackburne's Mews; other associated internal works including replacement of all windows with double glazing, and external works including removal of the glacis & balustrade, reconfiguration of front & side entrances & steps & addition of canopies over each entrance & relocation of Eagle sculpture to centre of the front elevation of new 6th floor.

Source: Westminster City Council meeting on 15.11.2016 Westminster.gov.uk ref no 16/06423/FULL

Public exhibition introducing the plans for the redevelopment of the US Embassy building on Grosvenor Square will be held over 6 days at 24 Grosvenor Hill, W1K 3QB

The exhibition will be open:
• Monday 11 April from 3pm to 7pm
• Tuesday 12 April from 3pm to 7pm
• Wednesday 13 April from 3pm to 7pm
• Thursday 14 April from 3pm to 7pm
• Friday 15 April from 3pm to 7pm
• Saturday 16 April from 11am to 2pm

Access to the building by the ground floor entrance on Grosvenor Hill.

Source: www.30grosvenorsquare.com