Costain Poised for £100m-Plus South Kensington Station Overhaul
TfL has confirmed its intention to award Costain the £100m-plus South Kensington Tube overhaul, with step-free access and heritage restoration due by 2031.
- Section
- Construction
- Author
- By Elena Vasquez
- Filed
- Length
- 2 min read
Key takeaways
- The design and build deal is rumoured at more than £100m, up from TfL's £80m estimate when the project went to market in June last year.
- The project will deliver step-free access to the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines for the first time, with main works due to finish in 2031.
- An eight-week enabling package begins this year at an empty retail unit at 34 Thurloe Street, ahead of a coordinated RSHP-designed redevelopment by Native Land and Places for London.
Costain is poised to land the £100m-plus overhaul of South Kensington Tube station, as Transport for London presses ahead with a long-awaited transformation of the historic transport hub.
The design and build deal is rumoured to be worth more than £100m — up from the £80m estimate TfL put on the station upgrade when it went to market in June last year. TfL has now confirmed its intention to award the contract, clearing the way for enabling works before the end of the year.
The scope is substantial. The complex job will open up step-free access to the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines for the first time, tackling overcrowding at one of London's busiest tourist gateways.
Costain will overhaul the ticket hall, create an accessible entrance on Thurloe Street and improve the subway linking the station to South Kensington's museums. The contractor will also bring a dedicated eastbound Circle and District line platform into use and restore heritage features within the Grade II-listed station.
Enabling Works Start This Year
The first crews will move into an empty retail unit at 34 Thurloe Street this year, kicking off an eight-week enabling package. The main upgrade is due to finish in 2031, in time for the Natural History Museum's 150th anniversary.
Costain will have to thread its construction programme around a separate property redevelopment being driven forward by Native Land and TfL's property arm, Places for London. The RSHP-designed scheme will restore the station's historic shopping arcade, refurbish surrounding shops and deliver 50 homes.
A new four-storey building, dubbed the Bullnose, will rise at the station entrance, with shops and restaurants below Grade A offices.
Both schemes will run to coordinated programmes to keep disruption in check, with step-free access targeted for the first phase — meaning accessibility gains should arrive well before the 2031 completion date.
Source: Construction Enquirer
