Uk Developer St Williams Launches East London Project Regent%E2%80%99S View Asia
St William, a division of the London-listed real estate corporation Berkeley Group, is promoting a new residential project in London called Regent’s View. The development, located in the borough of Tower Hamlets in Zone 2, was created through a unique adaptive reuse scheme that transformed a decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a mixed-use development along a canal.
Regent’s View has already garnered attention on a global scale, receiving the 2024 “Best Future Residential Project” award at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore. St William is now bringing the project to key Asian markets for the first time, following a successful sales launch in the UK last year.
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Tengah’s Plantation Close is set to undergo a significant transformation with the development of the new Tengah community. As a result, the existing eateries in the area will be closing down. In their place, a diverse selection of food establishments and laid-back dining options are expected to emerge. Though the specific eateries have yet to be confirmed, it is anticipated that a wide array of dining choices will be available, catering to both local and international palates. These upcoming eateries will provide the residents of Novo Place EC in Tengah with an easily accessible and convenient dining experience. Nestled in the heart of Tengah, Novo Place adds to the dynamic and thriving community, offering its occupants a contemporary and lively living environment.
St William was formed in 2014 as a joint venture between Berkeley Group and London’s National Grid, with the purpose of redeveloping decommissioned industrial sites into new residential and community spaces. In March 2022, Berkeley Group acquired National Grid’s stake in St William, giving them full ownership of 24 brownfield sites across London for their long-term landbank. Currently, St William is developing or in the process of developing around six of these sites, including Regent’s View.
The 4.5-acre East London site of Regent’s View, located along the banks of Regent’s Canal, was formerly known as the Bethnal Green Gasholders and has been a landmark of the area since the 1850s. While the gasholders were decommissioned in 2012, they have remained an integral part of the borough’s cityscape. The largest gasholder frame on the site is 146 ft tall and has a diameter of 200 ft.
Due to structural decay, most of the gasholder frames were set to be demolished. However, St William and their architect partner, RSHP, have instead chosen to incorporate two of the frames into the design of the new residential project, making them a key architectural feature.
Graham Stirk, senior director at RSHP, states that the design of Regent’s View celebrates the historical industrial heritage of the site, creating a unique and unconventional urban space. The project will consist of five contemporary residential buildings ranging from six to 13 stories, surrounding a landscaped park. The two buildings closest to the canal will be framed by restored gasholder structures.
Once completed, Regent’s View will offer 555 private and affordable homes, as well as 45,000 sq ft of commercial and community spaces on the ground floor. This will include a revitalized 100m stretch of public-access canal frontage, providing public access to this area for the first time in over 150 years. The project will also feature new F&B establishments to activate the area.
Regent’s View was met with some controversy when it was first proposed in 2019. Over 8,000 people signed a petition for the preservation of the site, but the Tower Hamlets council ultimately voted in favor of redevelopment. It took St William nearly five years to secure local support for the project and to incorporate the gasholder frames into the design.
Dean Summers, divisional managing director at St William, shares that a significant portion of this time was spent engaging with the local community to find ways to preserve the gasholder frames and meet affordable housing targets while rejuvenating the canal front through placemaking activities. As a result, 35% of the units at Regent’s View will be allocated for affordable housing.
Tracy Meller, senior director at RSHP, notes that the design of the residential blocks was also scrutinized, with a focus on preserving the gasholder frames and creating a cohesive structure. The ground floors of all five buildings will be used for non-residential purposes, with the two largest gasholder buildings along the waterfront featuring public-facing commercial amenities such as cafes, bars, and restaurants. The remaining buildings will offer resident-exclusive spaces, including concierge and facilities.
Regent’s View is not the only industrial brownfield site featuring heritage gasholder frames that St William is developing. They are also working on a 23-acre plot in Newham, which will be transformed into a 2,000-unit mixed-use project. Plans for the site, which previously housed the Bromley-By-Bow gasworks, are being developed in collaboration with RSHP. The project is expected to start in 2023.
The first residential block at Regent’s View, The Wright Building, was launched for sales in 2021 and is already over 70% sold. Prices for one- to three-bedroom units range from GBP675,000 ($1.15 million) to GBP1.63 million. The second block, The Westwood Building, was launched in September 2022 and has already sold nearly 90% of its units. The majority of units in this six-story building are one-bedroom units, making it an attractive option for international investors. Prices for units in The Westwood Building start from GBP585,000 for a one-bedroom and go up to GBP1.68 million for a three-bedroom.
According to Dean Summers, more than 50% of international buyers are from Asia, with many looking for a base for their children attending nearby universities or as a professional residence close to London’s financial hubs. Regent’s View is conveniently located near key educational institutions like University College London, King’s College London, and Queen Mary University of London. Additionally, the borough of Tower Hamlets offers a vibrant and youthful cultural scene with artisanal shops and cafes, making it an attractive location for buyers.
The closest train station to Regent’s View is Cambridge Heath on the London Overground Line, providing direct access to Liverpool Street Station in central London. It is also one stop away from Bethnal Green Interchange on the Central Line, connecting residents to other central London destinations such as Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, and Bond Street.
The next phase of sales at Regent’s View will include units in a 13-story residential block, which will offer views of central London from the top. This phase is expected to attract strong interest, as it will also include units with views of the waterfront and the landscaped courtyard. With the project’s success so far, St William is confident in the project’s appeal to international buyers, particularly those seeking properties in London’s Zone 2 for more attractive rental premiums.