Prime Phenix has acquired a major development site at 96-102 The Broadway, West Ealing, in a transaction brokered by GLPG’s Agency team, with GLPG’s Capital Advisory team also securing the development facility for the purchaser to deliver the scheme. The site was sold by Luxgrove Capital Partners. The prominent Uxbridge Road site benefits from detailed planning consent for a £90 million GDV co-living scheme comprising 268 bedrooms (Use Class: C1 Apart-Hotel), alongside substantial amenity space and facilities, including a roof terrace. The 0.5-acre site, bounded by Singapore Road and The Broadway, has remained vacant since the demolition of the four-storey Woolworths department store in 2019. The original building was constructed in 1926 and traded until Woolworths’ nationwide closure in 2008. Construction is expected to commence imminently, according to Dr Amir Naghsh, CEO of Prime Phenix, which is behind developments including Stirling Works on Bollo Lane, Acton and Oak Place in Slough. Dr Amir Naghsh, commented: “West Ealing is exactly the type of opportunity we look to acquire at Prime Phenix – a prominent and well-connected site in a highly active London location with the scale and profile to deliver a standout scheme. Our integrated team enables us to take a scheme like this from acquisition through to completion with confidence, and construction is set to commence imminently. The development represents a significant regeneration opportunity for this part of The Broadway and will deliver a high-quality project that we believe will make a lasting positive impact on the area.  “GLPG played an important role throughout the process, both in sourcing the opportunity and arranging the development funding with Zorin Finance and we are pleased to have Zorin alongside us for the delivery of the scheme.” GLPG, a leading multidisciplinary real estate group based in Marylebone, played a key role in both the disposal of the site and the financing of the project. Dean Leslie, Director at GLPG, said: “Large scale consented co-living opportunities of this quality rarely come to market in London, so from the outset we knew this was a transaction that would require a huge amount of work behind the scenes to get over the line. “There were a lot of moving parts across both the sale and financing, and credit should go to everyone involved for staying commercial and solution focused throughout the process. “What made this scheme particularly compelling was the combination of planning consent, scale and location. West Ealing has been transformed in recent years by the Elizabeth line and wider regeneration, and we continue to see strong demand from both investors and lenders for high quality living sector opportunities in well-connected London locations.” West Ealing is currently undergoing significant regeneration, with several major residential and mixed-use developments approved along The Broadway and the surrounding area. William McKenna, Director at Luxgrove Capital Partners, adds: “This sale marks a major step forward in the continued regeneration of West Ealing. The development will transform a long vacant site into a vibrant new co-living destination, helping to attract new residents, businesses and investment into the area.” The site occupies a prominent position within a five-minute walk of West Ealing’s restaurants, shops, supermarkets and gyms, as well as West Ealing station and the Elizabeth line. GLPG’s Capital Advisory team, led by Nick Swerner, acted as debt advisers on the project. Zorin Finance is providing funding for the development. Nick Swerner, Director at GLPG Capital Advisory, said: “Getting a transaction like this funded takes far more than simply introducing a lender. It requires detailed involvement throughout the process, understanding how to navigate issues as they arise and keeping momentum between all parties from start to finish. “Prime Phenix and Zorin Finance were excellent to work with throughout and together we were able to deliver a facility for what we believe will become one of the standout co-living schemes in West London.” Anthony Raud, Head of Development Finance Origination at Zorin Finance, comments: “We are thrilled to be supporting Prime Phenix on what will be a landmark scheme. The Prime Phenix team brings strong delivery capabilities, while the amenities, location and connectivity will be highly attractive to residents. “The Zorin Finance team remains committed to providing flexible funding solutions to address the ongoing undersupply of living sector stock across the UK.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Matthew Pennycook MP stated that leasehold remains a barrier to a fair and efficient property market and confirmed that the UK Government aims to ‘get the job done’ by the end of this Parliament, making commonhold the default tenure for new flats. However, he also stated that reform must be phased to avoid legal, administrative and market disruption — meaning the five million existing leases in England and Wales will not end immediately. central part of the reform programme is the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, which was published in January 2026. The Bill introduces a new legal framework for commonhold and includes measures to ban the use of leasehold for new flats, building on the existing ban on most new leasehold houses. The UK Government’s position is that leasehold should be stopped from renewing itself, while existing leaseholders should be given clearer routes to take control of their buildings and leave the system when they choose. The draft Bill proposes a new conversion process that would allow a block to move to commonhold where at least 50% of qualifying leaseholders agree. Propertymark supports the ambition to make commonhold a more realistic option, but we have warned that the shift will need careful implementation. Commonhold will involve new documents, new processes, new management arrangements and new responsibilities for homeowners and property professionals. Consumers and agents will need clear guidance and practical support to understand how the system works. Ground rent cap must not leave leaseholders waiting too long The Minister also confirmed that the UK Government intends to cap ground rents at £250 per year, before reducing them to a peppercorn rate after 40 years. Propertymark welcomes the commitment to bring ground rents down, but we have raised concerns about the proposed timeframe. Our evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee stated that a 40-year transition is too slow to provide meaningful relief for many existing leaseholders. We have also warned that the cap must not allow ground rents that are currently below £250 to be increased to that level where no escalation clause exists. This matters for the market now. Our research found that 78% of agents said leasehold properties with escalating ground rent would struggle to sell, even if priced correctly. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

No motivation for builders to build if they can’t find buyers The Government will miss their target of 1.5m new homes due to a stagnant property market, say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg. Heather Powell, a Partner at the firm, said: “The latest property statistics published by HMRC are bad news for the Government’s target of 1.5m new homes. They show a stagnant market with low appetite for buying, which means there is no motivation for builders to build.” She added: “Property sales continue to be steady. There has been no major increase in the number of residential or commercial properties sold per year in comparison to the last three years. A huge injection of confidence is required to end the market’s stagnation, but the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, seems to be bereft of ideas on how to generate this.” Heather said: “The Chancellor is going to have to reflect on the impact this will have on Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) receipts, as well as all of the taxes that are collected as a result of property moves – VAT on move costs and refurbishment and taxes payable by the businesses selling to the new property owner.” She added: “This continued stagnation is not surprising. People are worried about the cost of living, job security and the cost of a mortgage and so are not rushing into home ownership – or stepping up the housing ladder. Commercial investors, the buyers of offices, factories and similar buildings have similar concerns – will tenants be found, will they be able to pay the rent, and will the rent received cover interest charged by lenders?” Heather said: “HMRC’s statistics highlighted an increase in the number of sales in March compared to February, which reflects the annual trend as the UK moves into the summer months. But property prices are unlikely to increase significantly over the next twelve months, so buyers will not rush to purchase a property.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The Hill Group and Pinnacle Investments have exchanged contracts to deliver 1,934 new homes across two landmark developments in the Borough of Brent in London. The joint venture, Dollis Hill Wembley LLP, completed the acquisition of the sites from United Colleges Group (UCG), marking a critical milestone for a project that will provide 84% of Brent’s annual housing requirement under the London Plan. The developments are set to transform former educational sites into high-quality residential communities supported by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Sovereign Network Group (SNG). A total of 154 social rent homes will be integrated across the schemes, funded in part by the GLA’s Homes for Londoners Fund. Beyond housing, the project facilitates the creation of a new state-of-the-art educational campus for UCG on Olympic Way, Wembley. Construction on the first phase of the regeneration is scheduled to begin in spring 2026. The Wembley development will replace the former College of North West London building at the foot of Olympic Way. The project features linked 18-storey and 30-storey towers, providing 307 apartments. Every home will include a private balcony or terrace, with 85 units dedicated to social rent. The scheme also includes ground-floor commercial space, a concierge service, and secure cycle storage. In Dollis Hill, the Dudden Hill Lane site will be reimagined as a vibrant neighbourhood of 1,627 homes across buildings ranging from four to 28 storeys. The sale of these sites enables United Colleges Group to consolidate its operations into a purpose-built campus on Olympic Way. This new facility will focus on green skills, engineering, and the built environment, ensuring the college’s 130-year legacy in Brent continues in a modern, future-facing environment. Andy Hill OBE, Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Hill Group, said: “At a time when housebuilding has substantially stalled in London, we are working tirelessly with our partners to bring forward new developments, such as these two sites in Wembley and Dollis Hill. Together, we are unlocking the potential of these sites to deliver much-needed homes in the capital, while transforming the area to provide essential community amenities that enable sustainable and thriving new neighbourhoods.” Christopher Turnbull, Managing Director at Pinnacle Investments, added: “Exchanging contracts marks an important step for our joint venture with Hill and reinforces our commitment to investing in high-quality housing of all tenures where it is most needed. These developments will play a key role in meeting Brent’s housing needs while also enabling vital investment in education and skills.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

An outline planning application has been submitted by Bellway for a residential development of up to 260 homes on land south of Godmanchester. Bellway Strategic Land has lodged the proposals with Huntingdonshire District Council, seeking permission to build on a 25-acre site at Dexter’s Farm, located to the east of the A1198. The site sits immediately south of Bellway’s recently completed Whitehill Gardens development, where construction of 59 homes finished in 2025. It forms part of a wider area identified by the council for housing, with the potential to deliver around 520 homes to meet growing local demand. The proposed scheme includes a mix of one to four-bedroom properties, with 30 to 40 per cent earmarked as affordable housing, either for social rent or shared ownership. Plans also include more than six acres of public open space, featuring children’s play areas, walking and cycling routes, and new tree and hedgerow planting. — Advertisement —hss Fergus Thomas, Bellway Strategic Land Director for the Central region, said: “The site at Dexter’s Farm represents an opportunity to not only deliver high-quality new homes in a sustainable location close to our recently completed Whitehill Gardens development but also unlock a wider expansion of the town to meet the area’s housing and infrastructure needs. “Our application includes the provision of land for a new roundabout access onto the A1198, which will serve not just this development but the wider neighbourhood, and will also help to reduce traffic speeds into Godmanchester from 60 to 40mph. “Huntingdonshire District Council is facing a severe shortfall of new housing and there is a particular demand for affordable homes to address the council’s waiting list which has grown by more than 1,000 households in just five years. Our proposals would deliver a range of property types to meet demand from people in a wide variety of circumstances and at different stages in life. “Alongside this, the provision of new public open space and play areas would help to promote active and healthy lifestyles among new residents and the existing community, while new landscaping would create an attractive southern gateway into the town.” If outline planning permission is approved, a further reserved matters application would be required to determine the final number, design, and layout of the homes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals