Uk Developer St Williams Launches East London Project Regent%E2%80%99S View Asia

London-based real estate corporation Berkeley Group’s division, St William, is currently promoting a new residential development project called Regent’s View in the city. The project, which comprises of 555 units, is located in the borough of Tower Hamlets in Zone 2 and was developed using a unique adaptive reuse scheme that transformed the decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a mixed-use development along the canal.

Regent’s View has already received global recognition after being awarded the title of “Best Future Residential Project” at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in 2024. The prestigious architectural awards ceremony took place in Singapore on November 6-8 at Marina Bay Sands.

After a successful initial sales launch in the UK last year, St William has now launched the second sales phase of Regent’s View in September and is extending the project to key Asian markets for the first time.

The origins of St William can be traced back to 2014 when it was established as a joint venture between Berkeley Group and London’s National Grid. The aim of St William was to redevelop the National Grid’s decommissioned industrial sites into new residential and community spaces. In 2022, Berkeley Group purchased National Grid’s stake in St William for GBP 412.5 million ($705 million), giving it full ownership of 24 brownfield sites across London for its long-term landbank. St William is currently in the process of developing or already developing six of these sites.

Regent’s View, a 4.5-acre site in East London, is one of these ongoing developments. The site is situated along the Regent’s Canal in the Tower Hamlets borough and was formerly known as the Bethnal Green Gasholders. These gasholders were a prominent feature in the area since the 1850s when they were built to supply gas to homes in the district.

While the gasholders were officially decommissioned in 2012, they remained an important part of the borough’s cityscape for over 200 years. However, due to structural deterioration, only two of the gasholder frames could be preserved. St William, in partnership with its architects, RSHP, has decided to incorporate these frames into the design of the new residential project, making them a unique architectural element.

Graham Stirk, senior director at RSHP, explains that the design of Regent’s View celebrates the historical industrial heritage of the site. The decision to preserve the gasholder frames was taken to justify a specific form of urbanism that goes against the norm, he added. This approach is reinforced by the use of an industrial architectural vocabulary, creating a distinctive place to live and enjoy.

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The project will consist of five new modern residential buildings ranging from six to 13 stories, surrounded by a landscaped park. Two of the buildings will be framed by restored gasholder structures. Regent’s View will offer 555 private and affordable homes, as well as 45,000 sq ft of ground floor commercial and community spaces, including a refreshed 100m public-access canal frontage. This will be the first time in over 150 years that public access will be restored to this stretch of Regent’s Canal, and the area will be activated with new food and beverage options.

The development of Regent’s View was met with some controversy as, in 2019, more than 8,000 residents signed a petition to preserve the site when they were informed that it was being considered for redevelopment by the local council and St William. However, the Tower Hamlets council eventually voted seven-to-one in favor of the project.

It took nearly five years for St William to conceptualize and integrate the gasholder frames into the design of the new buildings, as well as gain local support for the project. Dean Summers, divisional managing director at St William, explains that the majority of this time was spent engaging with the local community to find ways to preserve the frames, meet affordable housing targets and rejuvenate the canal front through placemaking activities.

Summers also highlights the importance of affordable housing for local councils across London and credits the strong relationship with the Tower Hamlets council for enabling them to allocate 35% of the units for affordable housing.

The design of the residential buildings was also closely scrutinized, particularly regarding how the existing gasholder frames could be incorporated, as well as the site’s permeability to encourage public access. Almost 100m of previously inaccessible canal frontage will be revitalized with food and beverage and other amenities.

Tracy Meller, senior director at RSHP, explains that they capitalized on the circular forms of the gasholder frames to create a gentler contrast to the edges of the site. This design enables people to move easily through the site, across the central landscaped courtyard, and towards the canal front.

In an effort to contribute to the placemaking and rejuvenation of the neighborhood, the ground floors across the five buildings are designated for non-residential use. The two largest gasholder buildings near the waterfront will house commercial amenities such as cafes, bars, and restaurants. The ground floors in the remaining three buildings will feature resident-exclusive spaces, including a concierge and facilities.

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 National Grid, it is also developing a 23-acre plot in the borough of Newham, turning it into a mixed-use project with 2,000 units. RSHP is also working with St William to develop the design plans for the site, which used to house the now-defunct Bromley-By-Bow Gasworks. The site is home to seven Victorian-era gasholder frames, making it the largest collection of surviving gasholders from this era in the world. Development of the Bromley-By-Bow gasworks site is expected to commence next year.

Last year, St William launched the sale of The Wright Building, a six-story block at Regent’s View featuring a mix of one- to three-bedroom units ranging from 628 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. Over 70% of The Wright Building has been sold, with prices starting from GBP 675,000 ($1.15 million) to GBP 1.63 million. The block is expected to be completed next year.

In September, St William launched the sale of The Westwood building, another six-story block featuring one- and three-bedroom units ranging from 584 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. The Westwood Building comprises of almost 90% one-bedroom units, making it an attractive option for international investors. Prices for The Westwood Building start from GBP 585,000 for a one-bedroom unit to GBP 1.68 million for a three-bedroom unit.

Summers shares that international buyers have shown a strong interest in Regent’s View, especially those looking for a base for their children attending university or a professional residence close to London’s financial hubs. The project’s proximity to top educational institutions such as University College London, King’s College London, and Queen Mary University of London is a major selling point, he adds.

In terms of connectivity, the nearest train station to Regent’s View is Cambridge Heath on the London Overground Line, providing a direct route to Liverpool Street Station in central London. Additionally, Cambridge Heath is just one stop away from Bethnal Green Interchange on the Central Line, extending connectivity to other central London destinations like Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, and Bond Street.

According to Summers, over 50% of international buyers are based in Asia, and he anticipates strong interest in the next sales phase, which will feature units in the 13-story block facing the canal. This sales phase is expected to take place in the second half of 2025. “Our third sales phase will comprise of some of the largest units at Regent’s View, including our three-bedroom units. We expect it to attract exceptionally strong interest because most of the food and beverage offerings will be on the ground floor, and most units will offer views of either the waterfront or the landscaped courtyard,” he says.

Finally, Summers notes that the significant buying interest at Regent’s View so far highlights that more international buyers are considering new projects in London’s Zone 2 fringe neighborhoods. As the prices of central London properties continue to rise, investors looking for attractive rental yields are turning to properties in Zone 2, he explains.