The northern estate programme (NEP) will refurbish a number of listed buildings on the Parliamentary Estate that house offices for MPs and their staff and House of Commons staff.
This includes Norman Shaw North, Norman Shaw South, 1 Derby Gate and 1 Parliament Street. In total around 15,300 m2 of office space will be refurbished.
As previously reported, BDP is lead architect for the project. Gleeds is also on the team.
Work is due largely to the age and fragility of the buildings’ mechanical and electrical services, poor environmental performance and fire safety improvement requirements. The buildings are variously listed Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II and several are of special historical significance.
Completion is expected sometime in the early 2020s.
The programme will deliver compliance with building regulations, improve resilience and conserve the buildings for future use. There will also be a focus on making better use of the spaces inside the buildings and improving access and circulation routes.
WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff project director David Luscombe said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring a key part of the Parliamentary estate up to the standards of a modern office environment. Refurbishment on this scale hasn’t been carried out for decades, so these much-needed upgrades will respect Parliament’s heritage whilst ensuring future generations can continue to work at the very heart of UK politics.”
The NEP is a separate programme of work to the Restoration & Renewal Programme for the Palace of Westminster, which is set to cost at least £1bn. (See previous report on that here.)
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