Uk Developer St Williams Launches East London Project Regent%E2%80%99S View Asia
St William, a division of the London-listed real estate corporation Berkeley Group, has recently launched a new residential project called Regent’s View in London. This 555-unit development, located in the borough of Tower Hamlets in Zone 2, has been created through an innovative adaptive reuse scheme that has transformed the decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a modern mixed-use development.
Regent’s View has already gained global recognition, winning the award for “Best Future Residential Project” at the 2024 World Architecture Festival in Singapore. This project, which spans 4.5 acres along the banks of Regent’s Canal, has been praised for its unique approach to preserving the historical gasholder frames while creating a contemporary living space.
St William was originally formed as a joint venture between Berkeley Group and London’s National Grid in 2014, with the aim of redeveloping decommissioned industrial sites 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 in London for future development. Currently, St William is working on six of these sites.
Regent’s View is one of the ongoing projects being developed by St William. The site, which used to be the Bethnal Green Gasholders, has been an iconic landmark in the area since the 1850s. While the gasholders were decommissioned in 2012, the frames remained an important part of the cityscape. However, due to structural decay, most of the frames were slated for demolition. St William, along with its architect partner RSHP, came up with a plan to incorporate the frames into the design of their new project.
“Our design for Regent’s View celebrates the site’s historical significance. By preserving the gasholder frames, we are creating a unique and industrial urban aesthetic that is not commonly seen in residential developments,” explains Graham Stirk, senior director at RSHP. “This approach is further enhanced by using an industrial architectural style, which will give the development a distinct character and an exceptional living experience.”
The development will consist of five contemporary residential buildings, ranging from six to thirteen stories, surrounding a landscaped park. Two of these buildings will feature restored gasholder structures, making them a key part of the project’s design. In total, Regent’s View will offer 555 private and affordable homes, as well as 45,000 sq ft of ground floor commercial and community spaces. This will include a public-access canal frontage, which will be open to the community for the first time in over 150 years. The area will also feature new F&B offerings, adding to the overall vibrancy of the neighbourhood.
While the project has been met with some controversy, especially from local residents, who signed a petition to preserve the gasholder frames, the Tower Hamlets council voted in favour of the development. St William spent nearly five years engaging with the local community to find ways to preserve the frames, meet affordable housing targets, and revitalize the canal front through placemaking activities.
“Affordable housing is a top priority for many local councils in London, and we were pleased to work closely with them on the adaptive reuse of this industrial site. This strong relationship allowed us to allocate 35% of the homes for affordable housing,” says Dean Summers, divisional managing director at St William.
The design of the residential buildings and how the gasholder frames could be incorporated were closely scrutinized, as was the site’s accessibility to the public. As a result, nearly 100m of previously inaccessible canal frontage will be opened up to the public, with new F&B and amenities.
“We wanted the development of Regent’s View to contribute to the overall placemaking and rejuvenation of the neighbourhood. This is why we chose to use a landscape buffer around the site, rather than the traditional high walls of a gated community,” says Tracy Meller, senior director at RSHP. She adds that the circular forms of the gasholder frames were embraced in the design to create a more welcoming entrance to the site, encouraging people to naturally move through the development towards the canal front.
The ground floors of all five buildings will feature non-residential spaces, with the two largest buildings along the waterfront offering public-facing commercial amenities such as cafes, bars, and restaurants. The other three buildings will have facilities and amenities exclusively for residents.
Regent’s View is not the only industrial brownfield site featuring heritage gasholder frames that St William is developing. As part of the landbank acquired from their previous partnership with National Grid, they are also working on a 23-acre plot in Newham, which will be transformed into a 2,000-unit mixed-use project. The site, which used to be the Bromley-By-Bow Gasworks, contains seven Victorian-era gasholder frames, making it the largest collection of surviving gasholders from this era in the world. The development of this site is expected to begin next year.
Last year, St William launched the sale of The Wright Building, a six-storey block at Regent’s View featuring a mix of one to three-bedroom units. This block is more than 70% sold, with prices ranging from GBP675,000 ($1.15 million) to GBP1.63 million. The building is set to be completed next year. In September, they launched the sale of The Westwood Building, another six-storey block featuring one and three-bedroom units. The majority of the units in this block are one-bedroom units, making it attractive to international buyers. Prices for units at The Westwood Building start from GBP585,000 for a one-bedroom unit to GBP1.68 million for a three-bedroom unit.
St William’s international marketing efforts for Regent’s View have garnered significant interest, particularly from buyers in Asia. The development’s proximity to top educational institutions like University College London, King’s College London, and Queen Mary University of London, along with its location in a vibrant neighbourhood with trendy shops and cafes, makes it an attractive investment opportunity.
Balestier Plaza, situated just a stone’s throw away from Toa Payoh, presents a refreshing contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. With a diverse selection of shops offering everything from electronics to textiles, this shopping destination provides a more quaint and relaxed retail experience. Adding to its charm, the plaza is also home to a variety of food outlets, making it an ideal spot for a peaceful afternoon away from the busy city centre. The presence of both old and new stores in the plaza reflects the distinctive character of the Balestier district, renowned for its historic landmarks and local eateries. As a matter of fact, one of the most iconic landmarks in Balestier is the upcoming The Orie CDL, a development by CDL that will surely add to the unique charm of the area.
The closest train station to Regent’s View is Cambridge Heath, providing easy access to London’s Liverpool Street Station. This station is also just one stop away from Bethnal Green Interchange, offering easy access to other central London destinations like Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, and Bond Street. According to Summers, more than 50% of international buyers for Regent’s View are based in Asia.
“Our international buyers are typically looking for a home for their children attending university or a professional residence close to London’s financial hubs. Regent’s View has been appealing to them due to its prime location and attractive rental potential,” he says.
The next phase of sales for Regent’s View will feature units in a 13-storey residential block along the canal, with exceptional views of central London. The developer expects strong demand for these units, which will include some of the largest-sized units at Regent’s View, including three-bedroom options. Construction of this block is expected to begin in the second half of 2025.
The success of Regent’s View highlights the growing interest in new developments in London’s city fringe neighbourhoods. As property prices in central London continue to rise, savvy investors are turning to Zone 2 for better rental returns.