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St William, a division of the London-listed real estate corporation Berkeley Group, has recently introduced a new residential project in London called Regent’s View. Located in Zone 2, within the London borough of Tower Hamlets, the project consists of 555 units and is a result of a unique adaptive reuse scheme that has transformed a decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a mixed-use development along the canal waterfront.
Regent’s View has garnered global recognition, winning the esteemed “Best Future Residential Project” award at the 2024 World Architecture Festival (WAF) held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on Nov 6–8. Following a successful initial sales launch in the UK last year, St William has now launched the second phase of sales and is bringing the project to key Asian markets for the first time.
St William was established in 2014 as a joint venture between Berkeley Group and London’s National Grid, with the aim to redevelop decommissioned industrial sites owned by the National Grid into new residential and community spaces. In 2022, Berkeley Group acquired National Grid’s stake in St. William for GBP412.5 million ($705 million), giving them full ownership of 24 brownfield sites across London for their long-term landbank. Currently, St William is working on developing six of these sites, including Regent’s View.
The 4.5-acre site of Regent’s View is situated on the banks of Regent’s Canal and was formerly known as the Bethnal Green Gasholders. Since the 1850s, these Victorian-era gasholders served as a landmark in the area, supplying gas to homes. After being decommissioned in 2012, the site was left with only two gasholders still standing due to structural decay. While there was no obligation to preserve the gasholders, St William and their partner, RSHP, have decided to incorporate them into the design of the new residential project, making them an integral part of the architectural plan.
According to Graham Stirk, senior director at RSHP, the design of Regent’s View celebrates the industrial history of the site and aims to create a unique urban and architectural space to live in. Stirk adds that using an industrial architectural style is crucial, as it justifies a different form of urbanism, which is not the norm.
Regent’s View will be a combination of five new modern residential buildings, ranging from six to 13 stories, surrounding a landscaped park. Two of these buildings will feature restored gasholder structures, while the other three will be built in a contemporary style. The project will offer 555 private and affordable homes, along with 45,000 sq ft of commercial and community spaces on the ground floor. This will include a refreshed public-access canal frontage, providing access to the area for the first time in over 150 years. Additionally, the project will also feature new F&B outlets, activating the area further.
The development of Regent’s View faced some opposition from residents who wanted to preserve the site. In 2019, when the project was announced, more than 8,000 people signed a petition requesting its preservation. However, the local council, after careful consideration, voted seven-to-one in favor of redevelopment. It took St William almost five years to conceptualize the design and gain local support for the project, but they were ultimately successful in doing so.
Dean Summers, divisional managing director at St William, reveals that a significant amount of time was spent engaging with the local community to find ways to preserve the gasholders, meet the affordable housing targets, and revitalize the canal front through placemaking activities. He adds that affordable housing is a top priority for many London borough councils, and they were happy to work closely with them on the adaptive reuse of the industrial site, resulting in 35% of the units being allocated for affordable housing.
The design of the residential buildings and the incorporation of the gasholder frames were carefully scrutinized, along with the site’s permeability to encourage public access. The project will also reactivate 100m of previously inaccessible canal frontage with F&B outlets and amenities. Tracy Meller, senior director at RSHP, explains that the architects utilized the circular forms of the gasholder frames to create a more natural transition throughout the site, resulting in a gentler contrast to the edges. This design will allow people to move through the site, across the central landscaped courtyard, and towards the canal front easily.
In a departure from traditional gated communities, Regent’s View will feature a landscape buffer around the site, instead of high walls. Furthermore, the ground floors across all five buildings will be reserved for non-residential use. The two larger buildings along the canal will house public-facing commercial amenities such as cafes, bars, and restaurants, while the other three buildings will feature resident-exclusive spaces like the concierge and facilities.
Apart from Regent’s View, St William is also working on another industrial brownfield site in the Newham borough, which spans 23 acres and will be transformed into a mixed-use project with 2,000 units. This site, which was acquired as part of their landbank from their previous partnership with the National Grid, features seven Victorian-era gasholders, making it the most significant collection of surviving gasholders in the world. The development of this project is expected to commence next year.
Last year, St William launched the sale of The Wright Building, a six-story block within Regent’s View offering one- to three-bedroom units ranging from 628 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. This block is more than 70% sold, with prices starting from GBP675,000 ($1.15 million) to GBP1.63 million. The Wright Building is scheduled to be completed next year. In September, St William launched the sale of The Westwood Building, which features one- and three-bedroom units ranging from 584 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. These units are expected to appeal to international investors, with prices starting from GBP585,000 to GBP1.68 million.
According to Summers, over 50% of international buyers are from Asia, with a significant interest in Regent’s View due to its proximity to top educational institutions like University College London, King’s College London, and Queen Mary University of London. The project is also close to local amenities such as Broadway Market and London Fields, offering a vibrant and youthful cultural scene.
The closest train station to Regent’s View is Cambridge Heath, providing direct access to Liverpool Street Station in central London. It is also one stop away from Bethnal Green Interchange, connecting to other central London destinations like Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, and Bond Street.
Looking ahead, St William plans to launch the next sales phase, including units in a 13-story building fronting the canal, in the second half of 2025. These units will offer views of central London and are expected to attract strong interest, considering the F&B outlets on the ground floor and the scenic landscape. Summers also notes an increasing trend of international buyers considering properties in London’s city fringe neighborhoods in Zone 2 due to the rising prices in central London.