Fire Brigade to relocate to Union Street

169 Union Street

Members of the authority voted to approve the plans to relocate to 169 Union Street at a meeting last week.

The building dates from 1905 and was for many years the area's Royal Mail parcels sorting office. It was converted into office accommodation in 2000 and initially occupied by Sainsbury's. Accenture is the current tenant.

Union Street was the authority's preferred location for a new HQ given its proximity to both the fire brigade's training centre in Southwark Bridge Road and City Hall.

The relocation marks a return to Southwark for the Fire Brigade, which was based in Southwark Bridge Road until the Albert Embankment HQ was opened by George V in 1937.

The move has been prompted by the expiry of the authority's lease on its present HQ at 8 Albert Embankment in March 2008.

We are seeking clarification from the authority about the future of Lambeth fire station on Albert Embankment.

The LFEPA is chaired by Val Shawcross, Southwark and Lambeth's member of the London Assembly.