Hotel to replace long-running department store

The Morleys Tooting department store was located on Mitcham Road

A department store which had traded for 70 years is set to become a hotel despite a petition signed by 400 residents opposing the project.

Morleys in Tooting closed its doors in April with its independent owners saying they could not justify the funds needed to maintain and update it.

It will now be converted into a hotel by Criterion Capital, a real estate firm which owns several multimillion-pound properties across the capital.

Wandsworth Council approved the scheme as a way to generate jobs and boost economic growth despite residents' concerns that it would be repurposed as temporary accommodation and would not benefit the local community.

The plans show part of the ground floor will be kept for shops.

At the planning meeting, Labour councillor Sean Lawless said residents' objections stemmed from a similar case in Tooting where a site was slated to become a hotel, but was instead being converted into temporary accommodation as there was not enough demand for it.

He added residents needed firm assurances that the Morleys building would be used as originally proposed as they were concerned about how planning permission could be given for a hotel when there was "no real proof" it was needed locally.

Labour councillor Matthew Tiller added: "This does feel like a wasted opportunity to provide new housing rather than yet another hotel. It would be nice, if we possibly could, to push things in that direction."

But planning officer Nigel Granger assured councillors the building could not be converted into another use without a separate application and major physical changes.

He said independent assessments had ruled it would not be viable to provide permanent housing on the site.

Planning documents said: By repurposing an existing building, which would otherwise be difficult to reuse, the project provides both environmental and economic benefits."

The documents added: "The development will generate job creation, contributing to both social and economic benefits for the local community. This aligns with broader goals of supporting local employment and fostering economic growth in the area."

Six councillors voted in favour of the scheme while two voted against it.