BWCP, architects, planning consultants and designers, is a small multi-skilled consultancy established in 1972. Our work is characterised by it's variety: freeports for the Port of London and British Land Company, conversion of historic buildings for Railtrack PLC, schools for the central Foundation and the University College School, industrial and housing for Wassall PLC and retail for Stanley Gibbons and Virgin Group are just examples.

Current work emphasises 'loft' conversions and hotels in the inner city, leisure facilities and a visitor attraction and a town centre mixed development in Greenwich.

BWCP designed the UK's first new apartment-hotel, the ORION by the Barbican: 128 studios and apartments trading successfully since 1994. We have obtained permission for an hotel and apart-hotel in Shepherd's Bush, converting the former inland revenue HQ; for a new condominium-apart-hotel at Aldgate East and for a 260-room hotel as part of a mixed-use development of Orbit House opposite Southwark tube station.

In the Green Belt we prepared a master plan for the future of Selsdon ParkHotel, where we have been consultants for some years.In S Oxfordshire we have prepared proposals for the future of the Carmel College campus in 30ha of AONB.

BWCP has been responsible for many live-and-work and residentual conversions in Shoreditch, Clerkenwell and the City, including the listed Leysian Mission providing 60 units by the Old Street roundabout. The first substantial new residential development, 28 units in Curtain Road, Shoreditch, of which 11 are live-and-work, plus a large restaurant, which is now occupied.

In Greenwich our scheme for 3 large town houses and 3 work-homes in Straightsmouth, in the town centre has obtained full consent and is under construction.

In Camden we have designed a new pool for the South Hampstead High School and an extension for the Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club. Previously we acted in connection with the now-completed masterplan for University College School in Hampstead. Also in Camden we have prepared alternative designs for an important canal-side site at Star Wharf and are to commence construction in 2001 of 100B Chalk Farm Road, an office scheme which we won on appeal some time ago.

In addition to leading the design and town planning strategy of our major projects, we advise on specialised planning matters for clients such as Aveda (Estée Lauder), Virgin Group, Barclays Premises, Wise Buddah Music Radio, Jeff Wayne Music, Sugar Reef (Chorion plc) and the White Star Line restaurants (Marco Pierre White).

Brian Waters, principal of BWCP, writes a regular planning guidance column in the Architects' Journal (see GUIDANCE), is Chairman of the London Planning & Development Forum, is Upper Warden of the Company of Chartered Architects and co-edits Planning in London with Paul Finch and Lee Mallett.