A rare Soho Square townhouse is for sale with plans for a dramatic transformation

Soho Square is arguably London’s best-known garden square, famous for its ‘Tudorbeathan’ cabin and historically home to politicians, merchants and modern media titans like 20th century Fox.

Of the 30 buildings that line the leafy square, 16 of them are listed, including Number 13 – an elegant three-storey townhouse on the north side, which has Grade II designation and was built between 1768 and 1769.

Planning permission is in place to convert the Soho property from a commercial building into a single-family residence designed by Rodić Davidson Architects, creating a 6,000 sq ft home with five bedrooms, set across five storeys.

The Georgian building is presently offices and event space, though, for nearly 40 years, it was the studio of Oscar-winning animator Richard Williams. It has an abundance of historical features, some of which are original, like the stone staircase with wrought-iron balustrade and reclaimed features, such as ornate woodwork from 1677, which actually pre-dates the building.

A cache of cornices, architraves and panelling will be restored and retained as part of the planning conditions, and period windows will be reconditioned. And where original features have been totally lost, they’ll be replaced with appropriate modern features.

Inigo is selling the Soho Square property for £8.95m. A walk-through of the proposed changes will reinstate the lower ground floor’s original ceiling height and transform it into two double bedrooms. The street level, meanwhile, will be a grand reception room, per the building’s 18th-century design.

A 20th-century extension is currently at the rear of the building: it will be replaced with a glazed link and new volume, highlighting the switch between old and new. A new kitchen and dining room will also be added on the first floor, with free-standing cabinetry that won’t impact the listed wood panelling, alongside a second living room.

Two more bedrooms will be located on the second floor, with a unique ‘pod’ inserted to house an ensuite bathroom and closet, while the third floor is given entirely to the primary bedroom suite. It, too, will have a ‘pod’ bathroom, as well as reclaimed and restored fireplaces. The present window will be replaced with French doors to provide access to a newly installed roof terrace with views over Soho Square and the city skyline in the distance.