St James Group Ltd, part of the Berkeley Group of companies, has agreed a deal with National Grid Property to redevelop the former Southall Gas Works site.
The strategic 80 acre site located within the London Borough of Ealing and adjacent to a future Crossrail station, benefits from Outline Planning Permission for the creation of up to 3,750 homes, together with 525,000sqft of commercial and community floorspace, a new primary school and significant areas of landscaped public realm and open amenity space.
The completed development is currently expected to be delivered over a 30 year period and generate over 1,000 permanent jobs, in addition to the several thousands that will be created during the course of construction.
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, said: "It is vital we utilize London's brownfield sites to provide the homes needed for our growing city. This commitment by St James Group, which will accelerate the delivery of 3,750 homes, is welcome news for the regeneration of the Southall Gas works site. This canal side area is ripe with potential not least ahead of the arrival of Crossrail later this decade."
Malcolm Cooper, Managing Director, National Grid Property, adds: "Our work at Southall is a great example of what National Grid Property is doing across the country to help regenerate disused sites and open them up for exciting redevelopment opportunities to help local communities thrive. Getting the site ready for redevelopment has required substantial investment and a great deal of work from us. We've spent a number of years preparing the site for redevelopment and liaised closely with the Greater London Authority during the process to ensure things go as smoothly as possible.
"Working with St James on Southall will help us meet our goal of being able to deliver 12,500 homes within Greater London. This is in line with the Government's agenda of regenerating former industrial sites to help create sustainable communities. The final result will not just be new homes, but a new community which will benefit Southall, the London Borough of Ealing, and London as a whole."
Tony Pidgley CBE, Chairman of Berkeley Group said: "I am delighted that through St James, Berkeley Group working in partnership with National Grid, is unlocking another key strategic regeneration area, continuing our role in being at the forefront of building much needed homes for Londoners".
Sean Ellis, Chairman of St James Group Ltd, comments: "I am genuinely excited by the prospect of St James working with National Grid and the key stakeholders to deliver a major new mixed use waterside scheme, with excellent transport links. We see this as an important site with many challenges and opportunities to deliver a mixed and balanced community with a strong sense of place".
Councillor Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council adds: "This significant development will contribute to our ambitious plans to regenerate Southall, creating thousands of new homes and jobs. We are delighted that the western road on to the site will now be built, which was essential to the scheme to ease traffic congestion in the area. Given the tough economic climate it demonstrates the area's strength as a location in attracting much needed new investment in our community."
Councillor Ray Puddifoot, Leader of London Borough of Hillingdon, adds:
"I am delighted that a reputable company like the St James Group are taking forward this development, I look forward to working with them".
For additional press information, please contact Tania McNally, Tamarisk Saunders-Davies, Georgia Grey or Sophie Wilkinson at LUCHFORD APM +44 (0)20 7631 1000 or via email at:
tania.mcnally@luchfordapm.com
tamarisk.saunders-davies@luchfordapm.com
georgia.grey@luchfordapm.com
sophie.wilkinson@luchfordapm.com
Notes to editors:
About National Grid
National Grid Property own and manage a portfolio of occupied and surplus properties belonging to National Grid plc. The portfolio is extremely diverse including shops, offices, depots, residential properties and land including approximately 400 former gasworks sites located across the UK. Our goal is to tackle this industrial legacy, reclaim the land and return it to beneficial use.
National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world. We own and manage the grids that connect people to the energy they need, from whatever the source. In Britain and the north-eastern states of the US we run systems that deliver gas and electricity to millions of people, businesses and communities.
In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country. In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.
National Grid in the UK:
- We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain
- We own and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
- Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses
- We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering
- National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).
- Our portfolio of other businesses is mainly concerned with infrastructure provision and related services where we can exploit our core skills and assets to create value. These businesses operate in areas such as Metering, Grain LNG Import, Interconnectors and Property. National Grid Carbon Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid and it undertakes Carbon Capture Storage related activities on behalf of National Grid.
About St James Group
St James was established in 1996, originally as a joint venture with Thames Water. It has established a reputation as a design-conscious developer, able to transform derelict sites into beautiful, successful places. Some of its recent London developments include Riverlight on Nine Elms, Roehampton House and Grosvenor Waterside.
St James is a member of the Berkeley Group. The Berkeley Group was voted Britain's Most Admired Company across all industries in 2011 and has been ranked Britain's most sustainable major housebuilder for the last seven years in a row by the Next Generation benchmark. In 2012, the Berkeley Group sustained 16,000 jobs and generated £2.6 billion of economic activity in Britain.