The development ready site which was fully remediated by St Francis Group sister company DSM Demolition has planning permission for up to 474,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace and up to 320 new residential dwellings. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in
An iconic landmark in the Bermondsey area of London is set to be transformed into a new high street cultural venue. Really Local Group is working with Southwark Council to redevelop The Blue building into a community hub featuring a three-screen cinema, coffee shop, a café, bar, informal co-working spaces
A £350 million contract to convert the second stage of Paddington Square in London has been agreed. Sellar, on behalf of Great Western Developments Ltd., will work with main construction partner Mace to deliver the next set of works. This follows the completion of phase one on time and on
The development ready site which was fully remediated by St Francis Group sister company DSM Demolition has planning permission for up to 474,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace and up to 320 new residential dwellings. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration has today announced that it has completed the sale of a development ready residential site in the village of Brantham, Suffolk to Taylor Wimpey UK Limited. The site which adjoins an historical commercial site and was used since the late 1800’s, as a plastics manufacturing base for British Xylonite and more recently by Wardle Storeys. Those uses ceased in 1999. St Francis Group promoted the site through the Local Plan as part of the Councils Regeneration aims following the loss of the existing occupiers in the downturn with the support of Babergh Mid Suffolk District Council and later secured planning permission for new commercial uses totalling approximately 474,000 sq ft and up to 320 residential dwellings . As part of the Regeneration project, St Francis Group through its sister company DSM Demolition has already completed the decontamination and remediation of the existing commercial land, installed new commercial and residential highway infrastructure and introduced a new sustainable drainage solution. In addition, the local community will benefit from the provision of circa 29 acres of public open space and new Sports and Community land. Speaking about the sale, St Francis Group CEO Rob Braid said: “The work we have undertaken on this development serves to not only reinforce our strong credentials in brownfield site regeneration and restoration but to also highlight that in addition to commercial development we are very active in the residential land market and actively bringing sites forward. We are uniquely positioned through our specialist in-house team and sister business to secure planning permissions for schemes throughout the UK and across various disciplines but most notably residential, employment and mixed use.” Taylor Wimpey have secured reserved matters consent for 288 high quality new homes and plan to start on site in February this year.
An iconic landmark in the Bermondsey area of London is set to be transformed into a new high street cultural venue. Really Local Group is working with Southwark Council to redevelop The Blue building into a community hub featuring a three-screen cinema, coffee shop, a café, bar, informal co-working spaces and a food and craft hall featuring local artisans and vendors. The building has lain vacant for over a year, with this project expected to bring life to the marketplace using funds from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund. Cllr Leo Pollak, Cabinet Member for New Homes, Great Estates and Social Regeneration, said: “After years of working to improving the mix of shops and stalls at the Blue, and intervening on the sale of Thorowgoods, we are hugely proud to have secured a three screen cinema, community events and exhibition space and an affordable food market showing the best of local producers. We were greatly impressed by Really Local Group’s approach, and I’m confident this will become a major new arts centre for the north of the borough, and a game-changer for the Blue. This not only underscores our commitment to healthy thriving high streets across the borough, but the importance of municipal interventions high streets that need a ‘curatorial’ steer while getting the tone balance and affordability right. Bring on the Summer of 2021!” Serving as a link between the historic centre of Bermondsey and Bermondsey Street, the repurposed space will provide a platform for local businesses and community members to engage with the craft heritage of the area. Aiming to increase footfall to 5,000 people on weekends, the venue will aid towards revitalising the local economy and its traders. Really Local Group will also collaborate with local talent to showcase comedy and music performances alongside educational opportunities, with a community run creative school. The venue will also provide a collaborative space for community groups to develop their own program of events. The lettings strategy for the Blue agreed in 2016 created a bespoke approach to lettings on the Bermondsey high street, with Southwark Council considering the impact their choice of retail tenants makes to the vibrancy and affordability of shopping on high streets, local parades and estates. The local residents’ opinion has had a big impact on the shape of the high street too, with the Commonplace survey with locals carried out influencing the delivery of Bermondsey Uprising, Bermondsey Community Kitchen, Big Local Works, and a number of private commercial lets at the Blue. Southwark has also already taken steps to update their letting policy, reversing the dominance of payday lenders and betting shops on the high street to cultivate a community destination. This proposal is subject to approval by the Council’s Cabinet members, and planning approval.
A £350 million contract to convert the second stage of Paddington Square in London has been agreed. Sellar, on behalf of Great Western Developments Ltd., will work with main construction partner Mace to deliver the next set of works. This follows the completion of phase one on time and on budget, which saw demolition and piling works delivered. Paddington Square will completely reimagine the approach to Paddington Station, including a new concourse for the London Underground Bakerloo Line, allowing for the area to become one of the grand entrances to London. The mixed-use scheme will offer 360,000 sq ft of office space across 18 light-filled floors, four tiers of curated retail, 1.35 acres of comprehensive public realm improvements and West London’s highest rooftop dining experience with views across the city’s skyline. Excavation is now underway to prepare for the second stage of construction, following the agreement of a final design, programme and cost plan. Focchi has also been appointed as cladding contractors, and William Hare appointed as steelwork contractors to deliver the 5,300 tonnes of steel involved in the build. Paul Flexney-Briscoe, Construction Director at Sellar, said: “We have worked extremely closely with Mace over the past year to frame a plan that is immediately actionable, on time and on brief, and we are happy to confirm today that it is to be delivered on budget. This is an important moment for the development, one that keeps us on track towards a successful build and completion, and marks the point that our vision for Paddington Square starts to become a tangible reality.” Gareth Lewis, Mace’s Chief Executive for Construction, added: “The delivery of Paddington Square promises to create a new icon for the London skyline and create a new mixed-use neighbourhood in Paddington. The agreement of this contract is a major milestone that brings us closer to the completion of the scheme. Like the Shard before it, Mace is very proud to be working alongside Sellar to bring their ambitious vision for this new site to life.” Paddington Square is set to be completed in spring 2022.
