Plans to redevelop a notable 1970s office building near Victoria Station in London, formerly the headquarters of oil giant BP and more recently home to John Lewis, have received approval from Westminster City Council. The project, designed by TP Bennett, involves extensive transformation of the structure at Gillingham Street, which was originally built as a cash depository. The redevelopment will see the building stripped back and reimagined to include eight floors of flexible office space, four roof terraces, and a ground-floor café, significantly enhancing its capacity and utility.

The revamped building will offer more than 9,500 square metres of office space, marking an 80% increase over its existing floorspace. Despite the expansion, the design retains a considerable proportion of the original structure—60% of its area and 70% of its volume. Sustainability is a key focus of the redevelopment, with the introduction of a lightweight frame and new brick façades featuring shading elements. These design choices are intended to reduce heat gain and minimise operational energy use, aligning with modern environmental standards. Clients Landid and Elwood Fund Management are overseeing the project, which seeks to blend heritage with contemporary office needs.

Currently, the building stands as a part-four, part-seven-storey structure offering around 5,100 square metres of office space, including a flat initially meant for a caretaker. The redevelopment will add two additional storeys and a 100 square metre café space, with no residential accommodation planned. This marks a significant increase in usable and versatile workspace, reflecting broader trends in office building refurbishments within central London aiming to attract flexible use tenants.

The redevelopment follows John Lewis’s strategic decision to downsize its London office space significantly. The retailer, which also owns Waitrose, has been reducing its central London footprint by more than half as a result of changing workplace habits accelerated by the pandemic. Reports indicate John Lewis is seeking a new headquarters of about 100,000 square feet, less than half the size of its current 220,000 square feet site at Victoria. The partnership plans to relocate by the end of next year, opting for more efficient, modern office environments that reflect a blended approach to working from home and office.

Moreover, the former John Lewis headquarters at Victoria, now known as Partnership House on Carlisle Place, recently came onto the market with an asking price of £46 million. The building currently benefits from a lease to John Lewis that generates a passing rent of nearly £2.5 million, expiring in early 2028. Due to lease restrictions, the building’s subletting options are limited to a few tenants, and parts of the building remain vacant. The property is also being marketed for alternative uses, including conversion into hotel, residential, embassy, care, student, or medical facilities, highlighting the evolving nature of prime London real estate and the growing trend of repurposing office buildings.

This redevelopment exemplifies changes in London’s office landscape, where ageing buildings undergo significant remodelling to meet present-day demands for flexible, efficient working environments while navigating shifts in commercial property usage triggered by evolving work patterns. TP Bennett’s project is a tangible response to the dual pressures of maintaining architectural integrity and adapting to new market realities in post-pandemic London.

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Source: Noah Wire Services