St George, along with partners SEGRO, celebrated a major milestone at Grand Union in Alperton, as a pioneering multi-storey industrial development, called SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, officially opened.
This highly sustainable six-storey building provides 134,500 sq ft of high-quality floorspace from just a 1.7-acre site footprint, helping to deliver the new London Plan’s aspiration to intensify industrial land. The building is expected to support up to 250 jobs and apprenticeships once fully let, contributing to the total 650 new jobs that will be created across the wider Grand Union neighbourhood.
The building is on the southern tip of the wider 22-acre Grand Union regeneration site where St George is transforming a once derelict brownfield industrial site into a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood with 3,350 homes, 35% of which will be affordable, and a mix of green open spaces and public amenities.
A New Benchmark in Modern Industrial Space
SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is arranged over six storeys and is equipped with cargo lifts. Two lower levels provide loading bay space and parking facilities, while four upper levels offer units in a range of sizes.
Each customer will occupy a self-contained industrial unit and benefit from outstanding communal amenities that enable a modern, inclusive and enjoyable working environment, which is not always commonplace with more traditional industrial spaces.
These include dedicated social and workspaces, from break-out and bookable meeting rooms through to a roof terrace where teams can connect and collaborate. A dedicated reception service is also available to provide support when needed.
The development embodies the very best in energy-saving measures across its construction and lifecycle, and has been specifically designed to support customers in reducing their carbon footprints and achieving their sustainability goals. The building targets BREEAM Excellent, and includes 20 charging points for electric cars and vans, as well as photovoltaic cells and an internal green wall.
Working in Partnership
Councillor Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Growth, Brent Council said: “The Grand Union development is transforming under-utilised industrial land into a thriving neighbourhood bursting with opportunity. It has already delivered more than 400 new homes, a beautiful canal-side piazza and an impressive new community centre.
“Today, we are delighted to mark the completion of SEGRO V-Park Grand Union. On just a small plot of land this pioneering multi-storey development will provide 134,500 sq ft of high-quality industrial space and create up to 250 jobs for local people.”
Claire Hammond, Land Director, St George Plc, said: “Grand Union is an impressive example of what can be achieved in a relatively short period of time when public and private partners work collaboratively together. Brent Council takes a strikingly hands on approach to regeneration which has ensured that the site can be delivered at the speed and scale that London needs.
“Our ambition across the St George portfolio is to create successful places where communities thrive and where people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy a great quality of life. Grand Union exemplifies that with more than 400 residents living here, enjoying its prime location next to the Grand Union Canal, access to high-quality amenities and a varied programme of community events. We expect the launch of SEGRO V-Park Grand Union will propel this even further as we welcome professionals from a range of industries to the development.”
Bonnie Minshull, Head of London, SEGRO, said: “Housing and employment are key ingredients of any successful town or city, and it’s unrealistic to think you can focus on one at the expense the other. We need both. It sounds simple, but in a complex, land-constrained metropolis like London finding the space to create these homes and jobs, on top of other demands for land, is particularly challenging. This is why innovative, sustainable, high-quality, co-location schemes like SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, which intensify land use and drive regeneration, are so important.
“The concept of multi-storey is relatively novel in the UK, but has proven to work well elsewhere. Potential occupiers we’ve already spoken with are open-minded about how they could make the space work for their businesses, and now they can see it in its full completed glory we look forward to converting the initial interest into completed leases, and in turn enabling job creation and economic prosperity.”
A Vibrant Canalside Neighbourhood
Grand Union is set to become an all-encompassing canalside neighbourhood, providing a mix of one, two and three bedroom homes. A piazza, Community Hub, Anytime Fitness gym and Crepes+Coffee café, which operates from the development’s narrowboat PAVO, have already launched, with a Co-op store and nursery set to open later this year.
11 acres of green space, restaurants, coffee shops and medical centre also form part of St George’s wider plans for the new community.
For more information on SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, click here.
For further information on Grand Union or the homes available, click here.