British Library announces partnership to extend its iconic London building

The British Library has selected a consortium led by property developer Stanhope, working with architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, as preferred partner for a project to develop a 2.8 acre site to the north of its Grade I Listed building at St Pancras in London as a major new centre for commerce, knowledge and research.

At the heart of the development will be 100,000 sq ft of new British Library spaces for learning, exhibitions and public use, including a new northern entrance and a bespoke headquarters for the Alan Turing Institute, the national centre for data science research.

The development will also include new commercial space for organisations and companies that wish to be located at the heart of London’s Knowledge Quarter, close to the Francis Crick Institute and the other knowledge-based companies, research organisations, amenities and transport links located at King’s Cross and St Pancras.

The Stanhope consortium was appointed following a Competitive Dialogue procurement process that began in late 2015.

HM Treasury and the Library’s sponsor department, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have approved the Full Business Case for the project. The Development Agreement with Stanhope is to be finalised this summer, with the design and planning process – including close working with Camden Council, local communities and other neighbours and stakeholders, and an agreed solution to accommodating Crossrail 2 requirements into the development – taking place over the next 18 months.

To find out more, please visit the Library’s webpage for the project.

Click here to read the full press release.