Railpen has selected Kier as preferred contractor for the refurbishment of The Fenner, a 100,000 sq ft office development at 26 Red Lion Square in Holborn. Kier and Railpen are entering into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA), with Railpen targeting a start on site in Q4 2026 and practical completion in Q4 2028. The appointment is therefore at pre-construction stage rather than a confirmed main works contract award.
CGI of The Fenner at Red Lion Square in Holborn, where Railpen has selected Kier as preferred contractor under a Pre-Construction Services Agreement for the 100,000 sq ft office refurbishment. Image: Railpen.
Kier Enters PCSA Ahead of Planned Q4 2026 Start
Information supplied to London Construction Magazine by Railpen on 28 September confirms that five contractors competed for The Fenner. Kier was selected following the tender process, with Railpen citing the contractor's proposed team and recent delivery record on central London office projects.
The distinction between preferred contractor status and a main construction contract is important. Although Railpen's announcement refers to Kier as the selected main contractor, the companies are currently entering a PCSA. That stage allows the contractor to work with the client and design team on matters such as buildability, programme, logistics, cost development and construction planning before any subsequent main works agreement is concluded.
Railpen currently plans to begin work in Q4 2026, but the announcement does not disclose the value of the eventual construction contract. LCM therefore does not treat the PCSA appointment as confirmation that the full refurbishment contract has already been awarded.
| The Fenner | Current position |
|---|---|
| Client / investor | Railpen |
| Preferred contractor | Kier Construction |
| Current procurement stage | Pre-Construction Services Agreement |
| Location | 26 Red Lion Square, Holborn |
| Workspace | Approximately 100,000 sq ft NIA |
| Roof terraces | More than 9,000 sq ft |
| Planned site start | Q4 2026 |
| Target completion | Q4 2028 |
The Fenner Will Be Reworked Across Eight Floors
Designed by Stiff + Trevillion, the refurbishment will create Grade A workspace across eight floors. The official Fenner project information sets out a comprehensive refurbishment with more than 9,000 sq ft of terraces, a communal rooftop pavilion, ground-floor business and event space, cycle facilities and upgraded occupier amenities.
Railpen's latest project information also confirms new façades to Theobalds Road and Red Lion Square, together with new food and beverage units on Theobalds Road. The refurbishment is therefore wider than an internal office fit-out, with the external envelope, ground-floor uses, roof level and occupier facilities all forming part of the redevelopment. The scheme sits within the same central London refurbishment market covered in LCM's Q3 2026 review of London construction contracts and project activity, where office retrofit and repositioning continued to generate major contractor appointments despite weaker activity in other parts of the market.
BREEAM Outstanding and NABERS 5-Star Targeted
Railpen is targeting BREEAM Outstanding, EPC A and NABERS 5-star for The Fenner. The investor also says the construction phase is being targeted as carbon net zero, with substantial reuse of building materials and an upfront embodied-carbon figure of 429 kgCO2/m². That reuse strategy places The Fenner within a growing group of central London commercial schemes where the construction challenge centres on upgrading existing assets rather than replacing them wholesale. LCM recently examined similar retained-building constraints at 1 Embankment Place above Charing Cross Station, where structural retention, building-services replacement and tighter operational-energy targets are being considered together.
Parminder Singh, Development Director at Railpen, said Kier was selected after a competitive tender because of its team, collaborative approach and experience delivering high-quality office buildings in central London. Graham Potts, Regional Director for Kier Construction London & Thames Valley, said:
Railpen is a new and significant client for Kier, adding that the PCSA would support the redevelopment as part of Kier's growing retrofit and repurpose workload.
Railpen Builds Its London Refurbishment Pipeline
The Fenner forms part of Railpen's wider programme covering around 600,000 sq ft of commercial property in London and Birmingham. The investor has recently completed work at 101 Bayham in Camden and 4 Coleman Street in the City, while further projects remain in its development pipeline.
That includes 12 Smithfield, where Railpen secured consent this summer for a 122,000 sq ft redevelopment. LCM's coverage of Railpen's 12 Smithfield scheme detailed another existing central London building being repositioned for high-specification office use with substantial environmental-performance targets. Railpen's advisory team at The Fenner includes Stiff + Trevillion as architect and Ridgelift as development manager, with Savills and Farebrother acting on leasing.
What Happens Next at The Fenner?
The immediate delivery stage is the PCSA. Kier will work with Railpen and the project team ahead of the planned Q4 2026 site start, while the final main works position and contract value have not been disclosed. The next material procurement milestone will therefore be confirmation of the main construction agreement or another formal instruction moving the project beyond pre-construction. Until that happens, Kier should be described as Railpen's preferred contractor operating under a PCSA rather than as the holder of an already confirmed full construction contract.
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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus Founder & Editor, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist |