PRESS RELEASE

26th June 2020

Planning Consent is granted for a mixed-use, one acre masterplan in Notting Hill, London

Yesterday, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government granted planning permission for the Newcombe House site in Notting Hill. The permission allows for the demolition ofthe existing twelve storey, 1960’s tower and for a comprehensive redesign of the wider one acre site.

The applicant’s widely consulted and detailed architectural response will transform this one acre sitelocated in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea to provide a collection of high quality, distinguished buildings of varying heights, framing a new public square and offering a vibrant mix of complementary uses including; i) a south-facing pedestrianised public square(approximately similar to St. Christopher’s Place in dimensional terms) surrounded by independent stores and cafes; ii) a standalone three-storey office building at the southern end of the site, iii) a series of pedestrianised passages into the square that promote permeability and air quality, providing access to the three, four and five-storey apartment buildings surrounding the square; iv) a four-storey office building on the dominant corner of the site (fronting both Kensington Church Street and Notting Hill Gate) that in turn supports a new 14-storey apartment building on top (that is taller, slimmer andsubstantially better resolved in both form and materials than the existing 1960’s slab-form tower), as well as a wide range of on-site public benefits including; v) affordable housing on-site, in-line with the Mayor of London’s quantum and tenure mix; vi) an on-site NHS GP surgery that will serve 18,000 local residents; vii) space in the middle of the pedestrianised square for the existing Farmer’s Market to return, and lastly; viii) step-free access to the Notting Hill Gate underground station via an elevator located on the widest portion of the Notting Hill Gate pavement.

To quote directly from the Government Planning Inspector’s Report (dated 26 March 2020) where the Inspector was commenting on the scheme’s design, “the overall strategy has been to design a new urban quarter with a public square at its centre and pedestrian links to both Kensington Church Street and Notting Hill Gate. The square would be activated by…retail uses at ground floor level. In my opinion this would have the potential to be a vibrant, attractive, safe and permeable amenity space for new occupiers as well as those living, working and visiting the area to enjoy. It would contrast sharply with what exists on the site at present”. Later when discussing the design of the tower at the north-east corner of the site, the Planning Inspector goes on to state, “the slipped form of the tower, its articulated design and the consistency of materials would provide a balanced and well considered composition...I agree with the previous Inspector that the tower would be visually engaging, slender and elegant”.

The Newcombe House Project will comprise a sustainable development that meets the requirements of commercial and residential policy objectives incorporating the use of renewable energy technologyand carbon reduction systems. The design incorporates features that will allow the commercial elements of the scheme to achieve a policy compliant “Excellent” rating under the BREEAM UK New Construction 2018 ratings system. In accordance with CLP Policy CE1 and Policy 5.2 of the London Plan, carbon emissions will be minimised on site (with a 34% reduction overall) and an off-setting payment would be paid to secure zero carbon status.

The new affordable homes would be a significant qualitative improvement on the existing bedsit units (that are no longer occupied) at the southern end of the site. The on-site social housing would make a meaningful contribution to the Council’s supply of affordable homes in a time of acute need. The development will provide 55 new homes, 23 of which will be delivered on-site as social housing, with the remaining 32 units as private housing.

The approval of the redevelopment plans for this one acre site, located on a prominent corner in central London, immediately adjacent to a Tube station served by three underground lines and so blighted by its existing post-war blandness that the local authority itself once described the current twelve-storey, sickly grey concrete 1960’s slab-form on the site as “an eyesore”, is a welcome step forward for the revitalisation of this prominent site. The redevelopment proposals at the Newcombe House Project will deliver high quality jobs, affordable housing, private housing and a well-designed public realm.

This project has been supported by a wide range of stakeholder groups including the Mayor of London, Transport for London, the NHS, Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association and several local residents groups including The Kensington Society and The Ladbroke Association. Despite the length of time taken to get to this resolution, when London has been in desperate need of well-designed private housing, affordable housing, high quality jobs and better access to public services such as GP surgeries, the applicant is pleased that the considered design, mix of uses, inclusive public realm and extensive public benefits that this project brings to the local area has prevailed.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor

About Brockton Capital LLP:

Brockton Capital LLP is a London-based real estate investment manager, owned by Brockton Everlast Inc. (together, “Brockton”). Brockton was established in 2006 and has raised approximately £2.0bn of equity across a series of real estate vehicles that have invested into and occasionally redeveloped around £6.0bn of assets spanning 20 million sq ft of space across the office, residential, retail, industrial, street markets, pubs, data centres and co-working sectors.

Brockton Capital’s most recent development project was The Post Building on Museum Street, close to Tottenham Court Road Station. The Post Building is a 300,000 sq ft office and retail building that was 100% pre-leased to McKinsey & Co., Rothesay Life and Nationwide. The Post Building incorporates 21 social housing units on-site that were delivered to Octavia Housing Association. The Post Building was a 50:50 joint venture between Brockton Capital and Oxford Properties (the real estate arm of OMERS, one of Canada’s largest public pension plans). The building was sold in January 2020 to a privately-held European property company for approximately £610m.

About U+I:

U+I is a specialist regeneration developer and investor.

With a £11.5 billion portfolio of complex, mixed-use, community-focused regeneration projects including a £147 million investment portfolio, U+I unlock urban sites bristling with potential in the London City Region (within one hour's commute from Central London), Manchester and Dublin. We exist to create long-term socio-economic benefit for the communities in which we work, delivering

sustainable returns to our shareholders.

To find out more, visit www.uandiplc.com or follow us @uandiplc

IMAGERY

CGI of the Kensington Church Street frontage looking north, with the tall office and residential building on the north-east corner of the site where it meets Notting Hill Gate.

CGI of the new public square looking south, where (on Saturday’s) the Farmer’s Market will trade from.

CGI of the new public square looking south-east, showing both the pedestrian access to Kensington Church Street, the 3-storey standalone office building faced in white Corian at the southern end of the site, as well as the retail and residential units that flank the public square, faced in Waterstruck, coal-fired Danish Petersen bricks.

CGI of the project looking north towards the public square and the tall building on the Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street junction.