Uk Developer St Williams Launches East London Project Regent%E2%80%99S View Asia
St William, the property development arm of London-based real estate company, Berkeley Group, is currently promoting a new residential project known as Regent’s View in the vibrant city of London. Located in the borough of Tower Hamlets, Zone 2, the 555-unit development is a unique adaptive reuse scheme, transforming a decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a modern mixed-use development.
The project, which has already gained global recognition, was recently awarded “Best Future Residential Project” at the 2024 World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore. St William is now bringing the project to key Asian markets for the first time, following its initial launch in the UK last year.
The project was born out of a joint venture between Berkeley Group and National Grid, London, in 2014, to redevelop disused industrial sites into new residential and community spaces. In March 2022, Berkeley Group bought out National Grid’s stake in St William for GBP412.5 million, giving it full ownership of 24 brownfield sites across the city. Currently, St William is developing or in the process of developing around six sites, and Regent’s View is one of them.
Situated on a 4.5-acre site along the bank of Regent’s Canal, the project involves the transformation of the former Bethnal Green Gasholders that have been a prominent landmark in the area since the 1850s. The site is home to several Victorian-era gasholders that were originally built to supply gas to the district’s residential homes.
Although officially decommissioned in 2012, the iconic frames have been an integral part of the borough’s cityscape for over 200 years. However, due to structural decay, only two of the gasholder frames could be preserved, leaving the rest to be demolished. Despite this, St William, in collaboration with its architect partner RSHP, has incorporated the gasholder frames into the design of the new project.
According to Graham Stirk, senior director at RSHP, “Our design of Regent’s View celebrates the site’s historical industrial heritage. The decision to preserve the gasholder frames serves as an ode to the unique urbanism of the area. We have also utilized an industrial architectural vocabulary to create a distinctive urban and architectural living environment.”
The project will entail the construction of five contemporary residential buildings, ranging from six to 13 stories, surrounding a landscaped park. Two of these buildings will be framed by the restored gasholder structures. Besides 555 private and affordable homes, the project will feature 45,000 sq ft of ground floor commercial and community spaces, including a refurbished 100m public-access canal frontage. This will be the first time in 150 years that this stretch of Regent’s Canal will be reopened to the public, and the area will be activated with new F&B offerings.
However, the project has not been without controversy. When residents were notified of plans to redevelop the site by the local council and St William in 2019, over 8,000 people signed a petition calling for its preservation. Despite this, the Tower Hamlets council voted in favor of the redevelopment. It took St William nearly five years to develop the project, including engaging with the local community to preserve the gasholder frames, meet affordable housing targets, and rejuvenate the canal front through placemaking activities.
According to Dean Summers, divisional managing director at St William, “Affordable housing is a key priority for local councils across London’s boroughs. We were happy to work closely with the council to redevelop this industrial site, allocating 35% of the units for affordable housing.”
The design of the residential blocks and how the gasholder frames could be incorporated into the project were also scrutinized. The site’s permeability to encourage public access was also a key consideration. As a result, the project will feature a landscape buffer instead of high walls, creating a more open and inclusive environment. The project will also feature two of the largest gasholder buildings along the waterfront, housing public-facing commercial amenities, including cafes, bars, and restaurants. The ground floors of the remaining three buildings will consist of residential-exclusive spaces like the concierge and facilities.
However, the gasholders at Regent’s View are not the only ones that St William is preserving. As part of its landbank, the company is also developing a 23-acre plot in the borough of Newham, which will be turned into a 2,000-unit mixed-use project. It is also collaborating with RSHP to design the project, located on the former Bromley-By-Bow Gasworks site. The site boasts of seven Victorian-era gasholder frames, making it the largest collection of surviving gasholders of its time globally. The project is set to commence in the coming year.
Last year, St William launched The Wright Building, a six-storey block featuring one to three-bedroom units, with prices ranging from GBP675,000 to GBP1.63 million. The block has already sold over 70% of its units and will be completed next year. In September, the company also launched The Westwood Building, another six-storey block featuring one and three-bedroom units, with prices starting from GBP585,000 to GBP1.68 million. Nearly 90% of these units are one-bedrooms, making it an ideal investment opportunity for international buyers.
According to St William, the project’s location, close to prestigious educational institutions like University College London, King’s College London, and Queen Mary University of London, has attracted significant international interest. The project is also near local amenities such as Broadway Market and London Fields, which offers a vibrant, youthful cultural scene. The closest train station to Regent’s View is Cambridge Heath, with direct links to Liverpool Street Station in Central London. Alternatively, it is just one stop away from Bethnal Green Interchange on the Central Line, providing access to other central London destinations like Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, and Bond Street.
Nestled in the vicinity of Elta Showflat, UWCSEA (United World College of South East Asia) is a prestigious international school renowned for its commitment to providing quality education. Offering the esteemed International Baccalaureate (IB) program, the school takes pride in its holistic approach to learning and its focus on nurturing global citizens. With its vibrant student community and extensive selection of academic and extracurricular activities, UWCSEA offers a comprehensive education experience. Elta Showflat is just a stone’s throw away from this esteemed educational institution.
Summers says that over 50% of international buyers hail from Asia, and most of them are looking for a base for their children attending university or a professional residence close to London’s financial hubs. He also adds that the next phase of sales will see units in the unnamed 13-storey building, offering exceptional waterfront or courtyard views, go on sale in the second half of 2025. “Our third sales phase will consist of larger units, such as three-bedrooms, and will attract strong demand due to its proximity to several F&B offerings and the project’s unrivaled design,” he says.
The overwhelming interest in Regent’s View highlights the growing trend of investing in new projects in London’s city fringe areas, especially in Zone 2. Summers adds that with the rise in central London property prices, investors are looking for more affordable investment opportunities in Zone 2 that offer higher rental premiums.