The only way is up for industrial development in London
How to satisfy huge housing demand and keep London’s businesses moving is a conundrum that has been challenging policy makers and developers for much of the last decade
But with the welcome and support of the Greater London Authority and the London Borough of Brent, St George and SEGRO formed a joint venture to bring forward a multi-storey industrial development, as part of a 22-acre major mixed-use neighbourhood at Grand Union in Alperton.
On Wednesday (April 17), Grand Union passed another milestone with the opening of SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, a pioneering multi-storey industrial development – a first of its kind in the UK.
We believe this is mixed-use regeneration at its best and is a strong example of where we have efficiently used the land available to maximise the delivery of homes and other services required locally and across London.
SEGRO V-Park Grand Union complements the 3,350 homes and ancillary amenities including community centre, health centre, supermarket, nursery and affordable workspace also being delivered across the development.
Given land constraints in London, it is crucial that we find new solutions for delivering and intensifying warehouse space that supports a range of employment types, and multi-storey developments are one potential answer to this.
SEGRO V-Park Grand Union offers flexible industrial space over six storeys, equipped with cargo lifts. Two lower levels provide loading bay space and parking facilities, whilst four upper levels include a range of unit sizes, supported by shared meeting rooms, breakout areas and wellness spaces, including a green roof terrace.
The development is highly sustainable, targeting a BREEAM `Excellent’ rating and incorporates electric charging points, solar panels and an internal green wall.
The multi-storey approach has enabled SEGRO to unlock 134,500 sq ft of employment space on 1.7 acres of land. This is significantly greater space when compared to the 35,000 sq ft that a traditional single-storey format would have provided.
The development is also ideally located in the heart of Park Royal, one of London’s most sought after industrial areas due to its excellent access to central London, the M25 and the M1.
We are proud of our overall progress at Grand Union so far: St George purchased the former derelict industrial site in April 2017, a planning application was submitted in January 2018, work started on site in January 2019 and the first homes, all of which were affordable, were handed over to the London Borough of Brent for their residents in December 2021.
In support of the Mayor of London’s Good Growth agenda, Grand Union:
- Delivers the mixed-tenure homes that Londoners need
- Supports positive change through the transformation of a derelict industrial estate, making the best use of land
- Delivers new community facilities and enables healthier ways of living through the provision of quality public realm
Regenerating such a big site with a new mix of uses has not been easy, and there have also been real challenges for St George to address along the way, with a £170 million up front capital investment required to unlock the site and drive delivery.
For example, below ground was a maze of water mains and sewers and above were steep changes in levels; there were multiple site ownerships to consolidate and close residential neighbours to connect with and consider.
Major sites such as Grand Union also have a character of their own and the wider development community can’t under-estimate the extent of engagement required.
It was therefore vital that community engagement was, and continues to be, at the heart of our masterplan, alongside having high-quality affordable homes and first-class open spaces and amenities for the whole of Alperton to enjoy.
The London Borough of Brent, which takes a strikingly hands-on role in regeneration, played a major part in achieving this successfully, with initiatives ranging from having an on-site visitor centre, to hosting exhibitions, community festivals, door-knocking exercises, as well as the creation of community steering groups. These efforts ensured that local people could play an active part in securing positive change for the area.
In total, Grand Union will create 3,350 high-quality homes, 1,170 (35%) of which will be affordable. Other benefits include a £93 million contribution to improving Brent’s wider community infrastructure and amenities, a 240% biodiversity net gain and bringing 400 permanent jobs and 200 apprenticeships to the heart of Alperton.
Grand Union sums up not just public and private sector collaboration, but also the benefits of collaboration between two FTSE-100 developers in The Berkeley Group (St George’s parent company) and SEGRO.
Wednesday’s opening of SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a crucial next stage in one of London’s most significant regeneration projects.