Lambeth Council’s planning committee voted unanimously this week to approve the proposals to change the use of its former home at Phoenix House.

Whitbread is now looking to appoint a contractor for the job with completion pencilled-in for 2027.

The consented conversion will see Whitbread adapt the 7,469 sq m office building interior to accommodate Premier Inn’s latest format bedrooms – including its enhanced Premier Plus rooms – as well as a restaurant on the mezzanine floor.

Jonathan Langdon, Senior Acquisition Manager for Whitbread, said: “We have been searching for a suitable location for a Premier Inn in the Vauxhall area for nearly a decade, so it’s fantastic to secure planning consent at Phoenix House and add another excellent location to our Central London network.

“Situated by the River Thames and a four-minute walk from Vauxhall Underground Station, Phoenix House is an excellent hotel location and an ideal base for our leisure and business customers looking to explore the area or catch a fast connection into the heart of London.

“The development is the latest example of how Whitbread can breathe fresh life into unused former offices and, in this case, also provide Lambeth Council with a secure, index-linked income stream. We are on the lookout for more opportunities like this as we continue to expand our market leading brands in London and elsewhere.”

Lambeth Council vacated Phoenix House in 2019 as part of its ‘Your New Town Hall’ scheme. This wide-ranging project sought to reduce Lambeth Council’s core office buildings from 14 to two, with further community benefits including 219 new homes for rent and sale.

Whitbread’s plans for Phoenix House form part of its strategy to seize the opportunity to convert former office buildings which no longer meet the requirements of occupiers and investors into successful budget hotels.

The company currently operates more than 850 hotels across the UK & Ireland and sees the potential for a 45% growth in its current estate of 85,000 UK and Ireland bedrooms to a long-term potential of 125,000 rooms in the two countries.