Legendre UK has been appointed by Whitbread as the main contractor for the redevelopment of Phoenix House in Vauxhall, London.
The project will see the ten-storey, 80,000ft² former office building converted into a 180-bedroom Premier Inn hotel.
Situated opposite Vauxhall Station, Phoenix House forms part of the St George Wharf riverside development. The transformation will bring the Premier Inn brand to Vauxhall for the first time.
According to Whitbread, the redevelopment will retain the building’s current structure. Former office floorplates will be replaced with Premier Inn bedrooms, including the Premier Plus range.
The project includes upgrades to the mezzanine, which will feature a new guest restaurant and reception.
In addition, the conversion aims to meet high sustainability standards, with BREEAM Excellent certification as a target.
The project is expected to create around 25 permanent hospitality jobs and boost spending in the immediate area once open, Whitbread stated.
Construction on Phoenix House is due to start later this year, with completion scheduled for the end of 2027.
Whitbread project and programme manager Sam Murphy said: “Phoenix House is a fantastic opportunity to bring Premier Inn to the heart of Vauxhall for the first time. Working alongside Lambeth Council, we have moved quickly from securing the site and achieving planning consent to starting the transformation of the vacant office building into a modern, high-quality Premier Inn.
“The project demonstrates how former office buildings can be successfully repurposed into Premier Inn hotels and I’m looking forward to working with Legendre UK to deliver the next phase of the development and help bring another excellent Premier Inn location to Central London.”
Phoenix House was built in the early 2000s and was acquired by Lambeth Council in 2004.
After serving as council offices until 2019, it has remained mostly vacant. Whitbread has secured a 30-year lease to operate the new hotel while Lambeth Council retains the head lease on the property.
The Phoenix House project is part of the company’s strategy to expand its presence in central London.
The company currently operates more than 100 hotels within the M25 and has identified additional locations for future development.
This contract adds to Legendre UK’s track record in London hotel conversions.
Earlier this year, the contractor gained planning permission for the transformation of Grove House in Hammersmith into a hotel and is currently developing the former Diageo headquarters in Park Royal into a 429-room hotel scheme.
Legendre UK managing director Thomas Vandecasteele said: “This is our first project with Whitbread and an exciting first step in what we hope will be a successful long-term relationship. We look forward to working closely with the wider project team to deliver a high-quality hotel for Vauxhall.”
