Peeking out from behind the Bakerloo line entrance to Elephant & Castle tube station, Skipton House awaits. This high-specification office building has a unique history. It stands at 80 London Road.
Originally designed for a Japanese bank, Skipton House later became home to the Department of Health staff. They moved from Alexander Fleming House. Paul Cayford was the project architect. Virginia Bottomley opened it on February 15, 1993. At that time, she was Secretary of State for Health. Its floor area spans 250,000 square feet.
From the outside, the dark brown marble cladding catches your eye. The impressive entranceway draws you in. Inside Skipton House, a large glass-topped central atrium awaits. Balconies line the second to sixth floors.
In 2005, the Information Centre for Health and Social Care made Skipton House its London office. Later, it moved to Leeds. That same year, more Department of Health staff arrived from Eileen House and Hannibal House. Their leases had expired. In 2011, even more staff came from New Kings Beam House. Today, Skipton House is the headquarters of the NHS Counter Fraud Authority.
Redevelopment plans for Skipton House have been quite a journey. In 2016, there was a plan to demolish Skipton House. The adjacent hostel and London South Bank University Perry Library were to go as well. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed a mixed-use development for the site. It would have included high-end flats, offices, and restaurants.
But these plans were withdrawn due to disagreements between landowners. In 2019, a new application proposed re-cladding the building and adding six more storeys. The Greater London Authority sent the application back to Southwark London Borough Council. They felt it did not comply with the London Plan.
The GLA suggested contributing to the cost of a new Elephant and Castle Northern line London Underground station. The developer submitted an updated plan. Southwark London Borough Council approved it in November 2020. Now, the plans await approval by the Mayor of London.
London & Regional acquired Skipton House in 2001. In 2015, Southwark Council approached them to redevelop the wider site. There was a previous plan for a 39-storey mixed-use building. Another plan existed to add six storeys for office and retail space.
Since the NHS left in 2022, it has been hard to find tenants. Its location and condition posed challenges. The building also created a barrier to pedestrian flow. It impacted the connection between the station and Southwark Bridge Road.
New proposals suggest building 1,500 student accommodation rooms. These blocks could rise up to 32 storeys. Around 200 flats could also be built in lower-rise buildings. The development could include retail and commercial space. Plans aim to improve pedestrian access to Ontario Street. They also envision a Station Square next to the station entrance.
Skipton House stands as a testament to changing times. Its future remains uncertain. But its story reflects the ongoing evolution of Elephant and Castle.