Construction is restarting on the £500 million 100 Kensington development in West London after developer SevenCapital stepped in to take direct control of the project following the administration of main contractor Ardmore.
SevenCapital has confirmed that Seven Capital (Woodrow) Ltd, an existing group company incorporated in 2016, is now acting as main contractor on the major West Cromwell Road scheme, allowing work to resume following a temporary halt caused by Ardmore’s collapse.
The 1.7-hectare mixed-use development will deliver 462 homes across seven buildings, comprising 276 private and 186 affordable properties alongside new leisure, retail, office and community space.
A new senior construction management team has been established to oversee delivery under SevenCapital Chief Operating Officer James Moody, working alongside the developer’s construction director and existing site management team.
SevenCapital expects activity to ramp up significantly over the coming months, with more than 500 construction workers anticipated to be back on site by the autumn.
The developer said it had been aware of financial difficulties facing Ardmore and had developed a contingency strategy to protect the delivery of the scheme in the event of the contractor entering administration.
Moody said: “We had previously been aware of some of the financial issues facing Ardmore, which allowed us the time to develop a solid contingency plan to secure the completion of 100 Kensington should the effective administration happen, and at the same time diversify and extend SevenCapital’s capabilities for future schemes.”
Existing development finance remains in place through Maslow Capital, which originally provided a £258 million four-year facility for the joint venture between SevenCapital and MARK Capital Management.
The project has already passed the 30% completion milestone, with construction progressing across one of the most significant residential developments currently underway in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
At the heart of the scheme will be Oria, a 29-storey residential tower containing 129 private apartments and penthouses. SevenCapital is targeting an October topping-out for the tower as the wider construction programme gathers pace once again.
The architectural masterplan for 100 Kensington has been produced by John McAslan & Partners, with Corstorphine & Wright responsible for the detailed design.
Alongside its residential element, the combination of commercial, leisure and community uses will create a substantial new mixed-use destination on West Cromwell Road, with affordable housing representing a significant part of the overall development.
The decision to bring construction delivery under a SevenCapital group company provides the developer with greater direct control over the remaining programme while limiting disruption following Ardmore’s administration.
Phased completions are expected to begin during the fourth quarter of 2027, with the entire development currently scheduled for completion towards the end of 2027 or beginning of 2028.
With work restarting and the existing funding package remaining in place, the focus will now turn to rebuilding site activity and maintaining momentum towards the October topping-out of Oria and subsequent phased delivery of the wider 100 Kensington development.
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