LS Estates has appointed Red Group to finish the £50 million redevelopment of 5 Chancery Lane in central London after the previous contractor, Ardmore, entered administration in June 2025. The appointment keeps a 105,000 square foot retrofit between Holborn and Fleet Street on course for completion in the first quarter of 2027.

Red Group, formally Red Construction Group, is headquartered at Saffron Hill in London and was founded in 2015 by Graham Sturge and Ian Hopkinson. It reported turnover of £170.8 million for the year to March 2025, up 49 per cent, and employs around 200 people.

Red will work as construction manager alongside project manager and quantity surveyor Gardiner & Theobald. Ardmore was appointed in December 2023, started on site in early 2024 and was replaced after its collapse, with LS Estates saying it acted promptly to keep the supply chain moving.

The building dates from 1910, and the scheme retains its facade and 86 per cent of its existing structure, saving 4,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide and minimising construction waste. It also aims to save around 540 tonnes of carbon a year in operation and to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating.

A new glass dome will crown the roof, creating a distinctive architectural feature while increasing natural light on the upper floors. Corstorphine & Wright is the delivery architect, building on the original design by Foggo Associates.

The structural driver is contractor failure and replacement mid-programme, with LS Estates moving to a construction management route to keep the retrofit moving and the project’s supply chain intact.

“LS Estates remain firmly committed to delivering 5 Chancery Lane as a sustainable office building that meets the strong demand in London’s office market,” said Rowan Jenkins, managing director of LS Estates.

Jenkins added that it “remains crucial to prioritise upgrades which maintain cultural heritage and lead on sustainability” as demand for market-leading workspace grows in the capital.

“A refurbishment of this size and importance requires vast experience and the ability to quickly onboard for the benefit of the project’s supply chain and eventual occupier,” said Ian Hopkinson, group director at Red Group.

For the sector, the Chancery Lane appointment shows developers replacing a failed contractor mid-programme to protect a retention-led retrofit and its delivery date.

Source: Construction Management / Inside Housing / Pomanda / Infrastructure Now / Property Week