Albert Embankment: more delays to redevelopment of old fire HQ

The London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority picked developer U+I as its latest partner for the 8 Albert Embankment site in 2016 – but nearly two years on, the company has asked for the deadline for a planning application to be submitted to be postponed from January to September this year.

On Wednesday the fire authority discussed the reasons for the developer's request for a delay in closed session, with the public papers simply referring to "a number of commercial considerations in terms of the scheme's viability".

At the most recent public consultation, U+I's scheme included more than 300 homes, a hotel, a modernised Lambeth Fire Station and premises for the London Fire Brigade Museum, as well as shops and offices.

In the meantime U+I continues to host a temporary fire brigade museum and a pop-up version of the Migration Museum at The Workshop in Lambeth High Street.

This year it will be 10 years since the fire brigade relocated its headquarters to Union Street.