Lambeth Council has granted planning permission and listed building consent for London Fire Brigade’s refurbishment of its Grade II-listed former headquarters at 8 Albert Embankment, clearing the planning stage for the Brigade’s return to the 1930s building. The approval, issued on 6 October under delegated powers, covers the restoration and conversion of the historic headquarters, modernisation of Lambeth Fire Station, a small rear extension, new events and exhibition space, window and façade works, public realm, landscaping, servicing, access and new plant.
The full planning application is reference 25/03222/FUL, with associated listed building consent under 25/03223/LB. Turley, which acted as planning consultant, confirmed that both permissions have been secured. Willmott Dixon Interiors is already involved, but its confirmed appointment is for pre-construction services rather than a published main works contract. The contractor was appointed through the SCAPE framework to progress the scheme through RIBA Stages 3 and 4.
London Fire Brigade headquarters at 8 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall. Image: Willmott Dixon Interiors.
Grade II-Listed HQ to Be Reused Rather Than Rebuilt
The Albert Embankment building opened in 1937 as a combined London Fire Brigade headquarters and fire station. Lambeth Fire Station continues to occupy the lower part of the building, while the six floors of former headquarters accommodation above have been vacant since LFB moved its headquarters to Southwark. The approved scheme keeps the existing headquarters building and the later 1980s control-room extension rather than replacing them with a large new development. That is a substantial change from previous plans for the wider site, which were refused by the Secretary of State in 2021.
The current project will bring the vacant upper floors back into use for LFB headquarters functions, with Willmott Dixon Interiors saying the completed building is expected to accommodate approximately 840 staff. Lambeth Fire Station will also be refurbished with new equipment stores and workspaces, remodelled firefighter accommodation, upgraded training facilities and alterations to the appliance bays to accommodate modern emergency vehicles. A new publicly accessible heritage and learning space will be formed around the existing Memorial Hall, providing space for London Fire Brigade’s historic collection, alongside a community room for local groups.
Willmott Dixon Interiors Advances Stage 3 and 4 Design
Willmott Dixon Interiors’ current appointment covers development of the Stage 3 and Stage 4 design before construction. Its stated scope includes renewal of mechanical, electrical and public health systems, new life-safety systems, window works, re-roofing and re-cladding of the former 1980s control-room building. New passenger lifts, partitions, ceilings, joinery and finishes are also planned, together with refurbishment of the appliance bays and basement.
The combination of listed fabric, major services replacement and continued emergency-service requirements puts the scheme firmly into the deeper end of London’s refurbishment market. LCM has previously examined how London’s retrofit pipeline is increasing demand for structural investigation and existing-condition verification as project teams attempt to install modern services and new loads within older retained structures. Willmott Dixon Interiors also has relevant recent heritage experience in the capital. The contractor delivered the £12 million National Maritime Museum roof refurbishment in Greenwich through SCAPE, involving new glazing and major building-services work within a Grade I-listed complex.
PCSA Is Not Yet a Published Main Works Award
The procurement position is important. London Fire Brigade says the project will be delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and Pick Everard, but the contractor’s published appointment covers pre-construction services and design development. LCM has not identified a separate public announcement confirming a main works contract award or final construction contract value.
The wider project has received capital approval through the Greater London Authority. Deputy Mayor decision DMFD267 authorised the London Fire Commissioner to commit expenditure within an approved project cost envelope covering the Albert Embankment works, interim headquarters accommodation and the fire-station decant. The actual cost envelope is contained in a non-public part of the decision and has not been disclosed because of ongoing procurement. That means reported estimates for the scheme should not be treated as a confirmed main construction contract value.
Construction Programme Still Needs Clarification
The programme is currently less clear than the planning position. London Fire Brigade’s current project page says construction will begin shortly and that Lambeth Fire Station is expected to close during the works in winter 2026/27, although the closure date remains marked as to be confirmed. Crews are planned to decant to Clapham and Chelsea fire stations. Willmott Dixon Interiors’ earlier pre-construction announcement, however, states that construction is expected to commence in mid-2027. The published information does not yet separate enabling and decant works from the start of the main refurbishment sufficiently to reconcile those dates.
The safest current position is therefore that planning and listed building consent are secured, Stage 3 and 4 design is progressing through the pre-construction appointment, and phased site activity is approaching. The exact main works start and final main contract position have not yet been publicly confirmed. London Fire Brigade is targeting completion of the Albert Embankment project in 2029. The next useful project update will be confirmation of the construction sequencing, Lambeth Fire Station decant and the contractual position for the main refurbishment works.
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