Legendre JV Plans Hammersmith Office-To-Hotel Conversion: The London Deal Sheet
The Deal Sheet is a weekly compilation of Greater London and beyond's biggest leases, sales, financing deals, construction updates and personnel moves. Have news you’d like to submit? Email mark.faithfull@bisnow.com.
Legendre UK, with joint venture partners Central & Provincial and Candour Properties, has achieved planning consent for an office-to-hotel conversion expected to create nearly 70K SF of accommodation, wellness facilities, retail, exhibition and coworking space.
Supported by DP9, Bevan Brittan and Landmark Chambers, Legendre UK received full planning consent Monday for the historic Grove House, located on Hammersmith Grove, originally designed by Sir John Burnet Tait & Partners and built in 1949.
The five-storey building will be converted into a mixed-use development comprising circa 59K SF of hotel space, 3K SF of office workspace and 11K SF of ground-floor commercial space. The scheme will include 171 hotel rooms, a 131-seat auditorium and a range of amenities.
Legendre UK will also act as main contractor, with works expected to start on-site in the first quarter of 2027 and completion scheduled for summer 2028.
Grove House is Legendre’s second consent as a co-developer with C&P and Candour, following the old Diageo HQ in Park Royal conversion, which received planning consent in June 2025. The six-storey building will be converted to a 420-room hotel, alongside 29K SF of amenity space. Construction is expected to begin this summer.
DEALS
Sheet Anchor Evolve, part of M Core, has acquired Eldon Garden in Newcastle city centre and Northfield Shopping Centre in Birmingham. Both assets will be asset-managed by Sheet Anchor Evolve.
Eldon Garden is an 80K SF city centre shopping destination on Percy Street, with access to Eldon Square and a 480-space integrated car park. The scheme is arranged over three levels, comprising a mall across two floors. Occupiers include Tesco, The Goose Public House, Hunters Estate Agents, Mode Hairdressing and PureGym, plus a café and restaurant.
Northfield Shopping Centre comprises 139K SF across 43 units and two kiosks, located approximately 6 miles south of Birmingham city centre.
The centre is home to a mix of national and value-focused retailers, including Greggs, JD Sports, Superdrug, Iceland, B&M and anchor tenants Peacocks and Poundland.
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Knight Frank has been appointed as sole agent to market for sale the Roomzzz Aparthotel in Manchester city centre, with a guide price of £12M.
The four-star property is set in a period building and comprises 59 purpose-designed guest apartments, comprising studios and one- and two-bedroom units.
The aparthotel operates under the Roomzzz brand, but the freehold interest will be offered free of brand and management.
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The Howard de Walden Estate has completed a series of acquisitions in the first four months of the year, alongside a programme of targeted disposals and developments.
The business has acquired the long leaseholds for three properties with development potential for a combined circa £50M in the Harley Street health district, including a mix of healthcare, office and residential.
In addition, HdWE has completed disposals totalling £45M as part of its strategy to recycle capital to reinvest in new developments.
DEVELOPMENT
Regeneration, strategic land and development business Harworth Group has confirmed that the Leeds local planning committee has approved Microsoft’s planning application at Skelton Grange, West Yorkshire, for a £4B data centre.
The application includes a data centre campus with infrastructure and outline planning permission for a warehouse building. The proposals comprise circa 500K SF across three data centre halls and auxiliary buildings and around 160K SF of industrial and logistics space and electric vehicle charging on Harworth’s 16-acre adjoining plot.
Having completed the first phase of the transaction with Microsoft in June 2024 comprising 27 acres for a gross consideration of £51.2M, Harworth is continuing to deliver site remediation and enabling works. The second phase comprises 21 acres where it is also delivering enabling works, and on completion of sale to Microsoft, it will receive a further £53.2M.
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U.S. student accommodation developer Landmark Properties has exchanged contracts to partner with Citrus Group and Galliard Homes for the mixed-use development of Prince Bishops Place in Durham.
The proposed scheme will include 504 purpose-built student bedrooms alongside a new link to the River Wear, as well as retail, leisure and pedestrian links through the site. Landmark Properties will acquire the site and work with Citrus and Galliard to deliver the development once it has planning and regulatory approvals.
The scheme is Landmark Properties’ third UK development after it entered the market in 2024, completing its first land acquisition in 2025 in central London and having recently secured planning approval at 120 Suffolk Street, which will deliver 504 student bedrooms.
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Investec Bank has partnered with Wrenbridge to acquire a new development site in Cambridge. It is the fourth site secured by the partnership in the last 12 months and takes the combined value of acquisitions to around £150M.
The 3-acre site will be developed to deliver circa 80K SF of commercial space. The plans comprise four flexible industrial units that can also be combined to create a larger single building, depending on occupier requirements.
The project has an estimated gross development value of around £50M, and the latest acquisition adds to the Wrenbridge and Investec Realis partnership, which has secured four development opportunities over the past year.
LEASING
Helical has exchanged contracts to lease a further 10K SF of fitted space at its The Bower campus in Old Street, while circa 22K SF is under offer that, once let, will take occupancy at The Bower to 97%.
The third floor of The Tower has been let to a multinational mobility business, due to take occupation in June this year. JLL and Compton acted for Helical, and Devono acted for the tenant.
