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This Week's 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

Landsec has let a further six floors totalling more than 60K SF at n2, the latest addition to its Victoria portfolio. The three deals bring n2 to 66% pre-let, with 60K SF across five floors remaining ahead of completion in Q2 2023.

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The final building in Landsec's Victoria scheme is now 66% pre-let.

In May 2022, Landsec pre-let 40K SF of office space at n2 to international investment firm Qube Research & Technologies. Since then, QRT has signed for an additional floor, increasing its total space taken to 52K SF.  

A global investment firm has taken 26K SF across three floors, upsizing from its existing office in Green Park. The deal has set a new benchmark for office rents in Victoria, superseding those set last year at n2, Landsec said.  

The n2 building is the penultimate phase of the Nova masterplan at Victoria. Once complete, n2 will create 161K SF of office space across 17 floors, with access to outdoor space on each floor as well as a communal clubroom and terrace on level 15 that is available to all occupiers.  

Landsec was advised by Knight Frank and Cushman & Wakefield. CBRE, RX London and Crossland Otter Hunt advised the tenants.  

LEASES

Alternative asset management firm Hayfin has become the first organisation to confirm space at Grosvenor’s 65 Davies Street development in Mayfair, taking circa 23K SF of the total 65K SF.

65 Davies Street is located directly above the western concourse of the new Bond Street Elizabeth Line station next to Oxford Street. Set over six floors, it is scheduled to complete in autumn 2023.

Designed by PLP Architecture, the building features a public art installation by Clare Twomey and a green trellis installation on the south façade. 

Hayfin will take the fourth and fifth floor at 65 Davies Street. Grosvenor said that “in line with Grosvenor’s sustainability commitments, both parties have agreed green lease provisions.”

Knight Frank & JLL acted for Grosvenor, Hayfin was advised by CBRE.

INVESTMENT

Property investment platform IMMO, which acquires and manages rental homes on behalf of institutional investors, has entered the UK market with a series of Manchester acquisitions.  

In addition to Manchester, IMMO is also targeting Leeds and Sheffield for acquisitions. The initial acquisitions form part of the firm’s plans to invest approximately £1B to buy and retrofit at least 3,000 rental homes across the UK by 2024. 

The proptech company, which is headquartered in London, said it is seeking to replicate its portfolios in Germany and Spain in the UK. Last year, IMMO raised $75M in equity in a Series B proptech funding round.   

FINANCE

Investment manager Boreal IM has secured a combined €237M loan from specialist lender Deutsche Pfandbriefbank to refinance seven assets across Europe it acquired in a joint venture with investor Cadillac Fairview.

The JV, which will assemble a €3B pan-European logistics portfolio, has deployed almost €700M to date, acquiring assets in the UK, Spain, France and the Netherlands. Germany and Italy have been identified as other target markets, the companies said.

“We are looking beyond short-term macroeconomic concerns to long-term structural trends and continuing strong demand for high-quality space in core European economies,” Boreal IM Chief Financial Officer and partner Peter Bingel said. 

DEVELOPMENT

Kadans Science Partner has continued to expand its pan-European portfolio with a recent addition to its existing science cluster in Abingdon Science Park, Oxfordshire. 

The asset at Grange Court, which was acquired from a private investor, is in close proximity to Kadans’ existing spaces across the science park. As part of the acquisition, Kadans will reposition the asset to provide circa 20K SF of laboratory and office accommodation ready for occupation in Q3 2023. Kadans will also be rebranding the building as Sovereign House. 

Kadans is developing new laboratory and office spaces at Abingdon Science Park and, alongside Sovereign House, will deliver Barton House in 2023, a new purpose-built building housing laboratory and office accommodation. 

Kadans was supported in this transaction by Mills & Reeve as legal adviser. 

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Brussels-based Atenor has secured planning consent for its first project in the UK, the retrofit of Fleet House near Blackfriars Station to create a sustainable workspace.

Designed by architect HOK, the project will see more than two-thirds of the existing structure retained. It was designed to achieve a minimum of BREEAM Excellent and provide around 77.5K SF of office space over eight storeys.

Features will include short- and long-stay cycling parking, end-of-trip facilities and four external terraces with views of St Paul’s Cathedral. Construction will also entail a new pedestrian priority route connecting Bride Lane and Bridewell Place, an art wall, a new 1.3K SF juice bar/café, a double-height office lobby and a 4K SF pub.

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Historical-themed visitor attraction operator Puy du Fou has instructed Savills to secure its first UK site. The France-based theme park operator is looking for a 300-400 acre site in central England, preferably within a 40-mile radius of Oxford, the company said.

Created in western France in 1977, Puy du Fou has grown to become France’s second-most-visited theme park and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France.

“Puy du Fou is an incredibly popular interactive visitor attraction that centres its shows on a country’s unique history. The operator has been attracted to the UK because of the richness and depth of British history and culture,” Savills Head of Leisure and Trade Ian Simpson said.

PEOPLE 

Specialist property lender Pluto Finance has appointed ex-NatWest Head of Real Estate Lending Phil Hooper to head of lending. Hooper will work alongside founder and CEO Justin Faiz. 

Pluto said that it plans to increase lending to developers and investors, predominantly in the residential sector. Based in London, the company specialises in providing development, investment and bridging finance, with loan sizes ranging from £3M to £100M and leverage up to 90% loan-to-cost and 75% loan-to-value.

Since its inception in 2011, the company has lent over £2.5B. It is part-owned by the Universities Superannuation Scheme.

THIS AND THAT

Phenix Salon Suites is aiming to open 50 new locations across the UK by 2030 and the franchise, founded by U.S. actress Gina Rivera, has hired Colliers to help lead the search.

The brand currently has over 300 locations in the U.S., providing salon professionals with private suites to operate their own businesses. Phenix Salon Suites is also looking for new sites in Canada and western Europe.

The first UK Phenix Salon Suites location opened at 1 Deansgate in Manchester in October 2021.