Fearless and Intrepid lacked large command spaces

Were Fearless and Intrepid designed for command and control from the 1960s?

Only in a limited sense; their command center was tiny and was expanded after the Falklands rather than designed from the outset for major fleet command.

Their original command center was extremely small, designed for roughly six to twelve people rather than a theater-level staff. The space was cramped enough that a tall officer could struggle to stand comfortably. It was not comparable to the extensive facilities later built into Albion and Bulwark. Improvements followed the Falklands War, but the basic design had never provided the scale needed to coordinate a large joint task force.