Mace appointed to £1.1bn British Library redevelopment

Mace has been appointed as construction manager on the £1.1bn life-science-led redevelopment of the British Library’s St Pancras site in central London.

The developer for the scheme is SMBL, a special purpose vehicle wholly owned by Mitsui Fudosan UK and established in partnership with the British Library.

Mace joins the project team under development manager Stanhope and will oversee the procurement and delivery phases of construction, which will take place to the north of the library.

Mace Group chief executive Jason Millett said: “This is a high-profile project with international significance, and Mace’s long-established expertise and track record in delivering other major schemes make us well placed for this role.”

The redevelopment, approved by Camden Council in 2023, will deliver a 9,290 square metre extension to the British Library plus 55,742 square metres of commercial facilities.

The commercial space will be dedicated to labs and offices for the life sciences sector. Room will be provided for a new headquarters for the Alan Turing Institute, if a move is agreed.

The job will include demolition and alteration works around the Grade I-listed British Library’s north-west facade, including the removal of stairs, brick structures, terrace features and external walls to allow for new access and landscape improvements.

Internal changes will include wall removals, artefact relocations and structural connections to facilitate integration with the British Library extension.

The proposed building has been designed by Stirling Prize-winning architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners.

A major fundraising campaign has been launched by the British Library to support cultural elements on the scheme.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with works expected to take six years to complete.

Source: SMBL announcement