St William, a renowned British property developer and a division of London-listed real estate corporation Berkeley Group, is currently promoting a new residential project called Regent’s View in London.
.
Investing in a condominium in Singapore offers numerous benefits, with one of the most lucrative being the potential for capital appreciation. With its strategic position as a global business hub and robust economic foundations, Singapore consistently attracts high demand for real estate. As a result, property prices in the country have steadily risen over the years, particularly in prime locations where condos are in high demand. Savvy investors who time their entry into the market and hold onto their properties for an extended period can reap significant capital gains. Additionally, with the constant launch of new condo projects like those available on The Bellegame, the potential for capital appreciation only continues to grow.
The project, which features 555 units, is located in the heart of London’s Tower Hamlets borough in Zone 2. It is a one-of-a-kind adaptive reuse development that transforms a decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a modern, mixed-use development along the canal.
Regent’s View has already gained global recognition, winning the “Best Future Residential Project” award at the 2024 World Architecture Festival in Singapore on November 6-8.
After its initial launch in the UK last year, St William has now launched the second sales phase of Regent’s View in September and is bringing the project to key Asian markets for the first time.
The project originated as a joint venture between Berkeley Group and London’s National Grid in 2014, with the aim of redeveloping 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 it full ownership of 24 brownfield sites across London for its long-term landbank. Currently, St William is working on six sites.
Regent’s View is one of these ongoing projects. The 4.5-acre site in East London is situated along the banks of Regent’s Canal in Tower Hamlets borough, formerly known as the Bethnal Green Gasholders. These gasholders were built in the 1850s to supply gas to the district’s homes and have been a landmark in the area for over 200 years. The largest gasholder frame is 146ft tall with a 200ft diameter.
Although the gasholders were decommissioned in 2012 due to structural decay, St William and its architect partner RSHP have decided to preserve and incorporate them into the new development, as they are an integral part of the borough’s cityscape.
According to Graham Stirk, senior director at RSHP, the design of Regent’s View celebrates the site’s historical industrial heritage. He adds that preserving the gasholder frames is crucial as it justifies a unique form of urbanism and creates a distinct architectural place to live and enjoy.
Regent’s View will feature five new contemporary residential buildings, ranging from six to 13 stories, surrounding a landscaped park. Two of the towers will be adorned by restored gasholder structures.
The development will offer 555 private and affordable homes, as well as 45,000 sq ft of ground floor commercial and community spaces. For the first time in over 150 years, the public will have access to a 100m stretch of Regent’s Canal, which will be rejuvenated with new F&B offerings.
While the development of Regent’s View was met with some controversy, with over 8,000 people signing a petition for the preservation of the site when it was announced for redevelopment, the Tower Hamlets council voted seven-to-one in favor of it.
It took St William almost five years, from 2018 to 2022, to conceptualize and incorporate the gasholder frames into the design of the new blocks and win local support for the project. According to Dean Summers, divisional managing director at St William, a significant amount of time was spent engaging with the community to find ways to preserve the gasholder frames, meet their affordable housing targets, and revitalize the canal front through placemaking activities.
Summers also notes that affordable housing is a priority for the boroughs across London, and they were pleased to work closely with the council on reusing this industrial site. As a result, 35% of the units will be allocated for affordable housing.
The design of the residential blocks and the incorporation of the gasholder frames were carefully scrutinized, as well as the site’s permeability, to encourage public access wherever possible. A 100m stretch of previously inaccessible canal frontage will be reactivated with F&B and amenities.
According to Tracy Meller, senior director at RSHP, it was essential to St William and the developer that the Regent’s View development contributes to the placemaking and reinvigoration of the neighborhood. For this reason, the decision was made to use a landscape buffer around the site instead of the high walls of a traditional gated community.
She adds that the architects capitalized on the circular forms of the gasholder frames to create a gentler contrast to the edges of the site. This design allows for natural permeation through the site, across the central landscaped courtyard, and towards the canal front.
The ground floors of the five buildings will also feature non-residential use. The two largest gasholder buildings along the waterfront will house public-facing commercial amenities like cafes, bars, and restaurants, while the ground floors of the three other buildings will include resident-exclusive spaces such as a concierge and facilities.
In addition to Regent’s View, St William is also developing another industrial brownfield site featuring heritage gasholder frames. As part of the landbank acquired from its previous partnership with National Grid, St William is working on a 23-acre plot in the borough of Newham, which will be transformed into a mixed-use development of 2,000 units. The company is currently working with RSHP to design the plans for the site, which previously housed the now-defunct Bromley-By-Bow Gasworks. With seven Victorian-era gasholder frames, this site holds the largest collection of surviving gasholders from that era in the world. Development is expected to begin next year.
Last year, St William launched the sale of The Wright Building, a six-story block at Regent’s View that offers a mix of one- to three-bedroom units ranging from 628 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. The building is more than 70% sold, with prices starting from GBP675,000 ($1.15 million) to GBP1.63 million. The Wright Building is expected to be completed next year.
In September, St William launched the sale of The Westwood Building, another six-story block that features one- and three-bedroom units ranging from 584 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. The majority of units in The Westwood Building are one-bedrooms, and the developer anticipates that it will appeal to international investors. Prices start from GBP585,000 for a one-bedroom unit to GBP1.68 million for a three-bedroom unit.
According to Summers, over 50% of international buyers are based in Asia, and the project has seen strong interest from international buyers, particularly those looking for a base for their children attending university or a professional residence near London’s financial hubs.
He adds that the next sales phase of Regent’s View, which will include the units in the 13-story block facing the canal, will be launched in the second half of 2025. This phase will consist of some of the largest units in Regent’s View, including three-bedroom homes. Summers expects this phase to attract strong interest due to the waterfront or courtyard views and the proximity to ground floor F&B offerings.
The high level of buyer interest at Regent’s View also indicates that international buyers are increasingly considering new projects in London’s fringe neighborhoods in Zone 2, says Summers. He adds that as central London property prices continue to rise, investors looking for better rental premiums are turning to properties in Zone 2.