I initially introduced and then advised on the acquisition of London Gate on behalf of Development Securities plc and Cathedral Group plc (now U+I plc). The 17 acre business park at Hayes, near Heathrow, formally know as London Gate, was sold by Blackstone Group, JER Partners and Resolution Property.
The genius of the master plan was to take a failing office business park, harness the extraordinary cultural heritage of the former EMI factory and create a mixed use development of the highest quality. The scheme is enhanced by its proximity to the Crossrail station at Hayes.
A 2 million sq ft mixed use master plan was granted planning consent by Hillingdon Borough Council. The plan included 640 flats, circa 550,000 sq ft of offices, 9 screen cinema and a total of circa 60,000 sq ft of leisure and retail uses.
TOVF has attracted many creative occupiers such as The Central Research Laboratory, SONOS, SITA, HEG and a new Global Academy broadcasting and digital media college. There is also a new low carbon energy centre supplying the estate.
The collection of heritage buildings, designed by the famous Art Deco architects, Wallis Gilbert, are being brought back to life with modern uses. The heritage buildings are mixed into the master plan with extraordinary new buildings designed by today’s most creative architects, including Studio Egret West, AHMM and Douggan Morris.
The TOVF has been a huge success. My client’s vision, created during the recession, was brave. The use of the cultural and architectural heritage to create a fabulous mixed use development, combined with the up and coming opening of Crossrail, has doubled the residential and commercial values.
