The Crown Estate has selected McLaren Construction Group as its construction partner for the full refurbishment of 10 Spring Gardens in London.

The office refurbishment scheme will be one of the first in a series of development projects for The Crown Estate within its prime London portfolio.

Nestled in a historic area of London between The Mall and Trafalgar Square with views over St James’s Park, 10 Spring Gardens was constructed in 1975 for the British Council and was occupied by the organisation until 2021. Now vacant, refurbishment work is scheduled to commence in November 2023, delivering around 80,000 sq ft of sustainable workspace, distributed over ground floor, basement and eight upper storeys.

Designed by Orms Architects, the refurbishment places a high priority on sustainable design and construction, retaining over 90% of the building’s structure and façade, minimising the use of new raw materials, whilst enhancing the quality of the office floor plates, amenity spaces and entrances. The scheme will include greening in and around the building, alongside the delivery of new trees to support biodiversity in the area, while new windows will enhance the thermal performance of the envelope, leading to greatly increased energy efficiency.

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All of this activity will ensure that the building is designed to The Crown Estate’s Development Sustainability Principles and is targeted to achieve a NABERS 5* rating, EPC A and BREEAM Excellent.

Alongside these sustainability credentials, the building will also prioritise the wellbeing of its workplace customers, targeting a WELL Gold Certification.

Kristy Lansdown, Head of Development, The Crown Estate, said: "We are excited to be bringing forward our development pipeline and are committed to delivering leading sustainable design and construction within the historic West End. 10 Spring Gardens perfectly encapsulates this.

"The scheme and surrounding public realm highlight our commitment to delivering sustainable, accessible and inclusive spaces. The development will be testament to our placemaking priorities and vision to support the city's renewal – ensuring it continues to be locally relevant and globally distinctive. We look forward to working with McLaren Construction Group to make this future a reality, and to welcoming progressive businesses to the West End soon."