Key Points
- Plans have been submitted to Greenwich Council to convert the vacant Lord Raglan pub in Woolwich into a 16-room aparthotel.
- The site is located at 158 Burrage Road and is intended to provide serviced accommodation combining self-catered rooms with traditional hotel amenities.
- A previous application for an aparthotel at the location was turned down by Greenwich Council in April.
- Local planners previously rejected the proposal because a planned two-storey rear extension was deemed inappropriate for the pub’s character and would impact three neighbouring properties due to its height.
Woolwich (South London News) August 12, 2026 – Plans have been formally submitted to Greenwich Council to convert a vacant public house in Woolwich into a 16-room aparthotel. The site under consideration, formerly known as The Lord Raglan pub, is situated at 158 Burrage Road. The proposal seeks to establish a serviced accommodation facility that offers a combination of self-catered rooms and traditional hotel amenities to cater to visitors in the royal borough.
What Are the New Planning Proposals for The Lord Raglan Pub?
Under the newly submitted documentation, the former drinking establishment would undergo conversion work to accommodate sixteen self-contained units.
The developer aims to transform the disused building into an aparthotel format, which blends private kitchenette facilities with managed services typical of a hotel environment.
The application addresses the continued reuse of the commercial footprint at 158 Burrage Road, attempting to bring the vacant premises back into active economic use following its closure as a traditional public house.
Why Was the Previous Aparthotel Application Refused by Greenwich Council?
This latest application follows a prior submission for an aparthotel on the same site, which was formally refused by Greenwich Council planners in April.
The primary grounds for the previous refusal centered on the design and structural impact of a proposed double-storey extension to the rear of the pub. Planning officers concluded that the extension:
- Failed to respect or preserve the architectural character of the original pub building.
- Created an unacceptably dominant height and bulk that would directly impose on three nearby residential properties.
The current submission attempts to address these specific spatial and architectural concerns raised by the local planning authority during the earlier decision process.
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Background of the Particular Development
The Lord Raglan at 158 Burrage Road represents one of several traditional public houses across South East London that have ceased trading in recent years. As pub operations have closed down, property owners and developers have increasingly looked toward alternative uses for these sites, particularly residential units, temporary accommodation, and serviced visitor suites.
In April, Greenwich Council’s planning department reviewed an earlier iteration of the scheme designed to convert the premises into serviced accommodation.
That scheme was rejected due to concerns regarding overdevelopment, scale, and adverse impacts on the immediate residential context, specifically concerning the height of the proposed rear structure relative to adjoining homes.
Prediction: How Could This Development Affect the Local Community and Nearby Residents?
If approved by Greenwich Council, the proposed conversion could influence the local Woolwich area and its surrounding community in several distinct ways:
- Impact on Nearby Residents: Occupants of the three adjacent residential properties previously identified in the April refusal will be directly affected by the revised scale and massing of the building. The extent to which the new designs mitigate height and privacy issues will determine the degree of physical impact on neighboring amenity.
- Visitor Accommodation Supply: The addition of 16 serviced aparthotel rooms will increase short-term accommodation capacity within Woolwich, potentially supporting local business trade and transport links by accommodating tourists, contractors, and visiting professionals.
- Street Scene and Building Use: Converting the vacant premises back into active use would eliminate an unoccupied storefront on Burrage Road, potentially improving street-level activity while permanently altering the historic commercial function of the site from a community drinking venue to a commercial hospitality lodge.
