British property developer St William, a division of London-listed real estate corporation Berkeley Group, is currently promoting their latest residential project, Regent’s View, situated in the London borough of Tower Hamlets in Zone 2. This 555-unit development is a unique adaptive reuse scheme, repurposing the decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a brand-new mixed-use development along the canal.
Regent’s View has already received international recognition, being awarded “Best Future Residential Project” at the World Architecture Festival in 2024. This prestigious architectural event was held in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands from November 6th to 8th.
After launching the first sales phase in the UK last year, St William has recently launched the second phase in September and is now bringing the project to key Asian markets for the first time.
St William was initially established as a joint venture between Berkeley Group and National Grid in 2014, with the purpose of transforming decommissioned industrial sites owned by National Grid into new residential and community spaces. In 2022, Berkeley Group acquired National Grid’s stake in St William for GBP 412.5 million ($705 million), giving them full ownership of 24 brownfield sites across London for their long-term land bank. Currently, St William is developing or in the process of developing around six of these sites.
One of these ongoing projects is Regent’s View, a 4.5-acre site in East London, located along the Regent’s Canal in the Tower Hamlets borough. Previously known as the Bethnal Green Gasholders, the area has been a landmark since the 1850s, supplying gas to homes in the district through several Victorian-era gasholders.
The adaptive reuse plans for Regent’s View will transform the decommissioned gasholder site into a mixed-use project with a canal-front. While most of the gasholder frames were deemed unsalvageable due to structural decay, two of them will be preserved and incorporated as an integral architectural element of the new development, a decision made by St William and their architect partner, RSHP.
Graham Stirk, senior director at RSHP, explains, “Our design for Regent’s View celebrates the historical industrial heritage of the site. Preserving the gasholder frames is important as they add a unique urban and architectural feature that is not commonly seen. We have used an industrial architectural vocabulary to create a one-of-a-kind place to live and enjoy.”
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The gasholder frames have become iconic structures in the Tower Hamlets borough, and will continue to be a part of the cityscape in Regent’s View. The development will consist of five modern residential buildings, ranging from six to thirteen stories, surrounding a landscaped park. Two of the towers will be framed by the restored gasholder structures.
Regent’s View will offer 555 private and affordable homes, along with 45,000 sq ft of ground-floor commercial and community spaces. These will include a newly opened 100m public-access canal frontage, allowing public access to this stretch of the Regent’s Canal for the first time in over 150 years. The area will also feature new retail and dining options, bringing life and activity to the waterfront.
Preserving these iconic structures did not come without its challenges, and the development of Regent’s View faced some opposition. In 2019, when residents were informed of the site’s potential redevelopment by the local council and St William, over 8,000 people signed a petition calling for its preservation. Despite this, the Tower Hamlets council voted in favor of the redevelopment, and it took St William nearly five years (from 2018 to 2022) to conceptualize and incorporate the gasholder frames into the design of the new blocks, as well as gain local support for the project.
Dean Summers, divisional managing director at St William, shares that a significant amount of time was spent engaging with the local community to find ways to preserve the gasholder frames, achieve their affordable housing targets, and improve the canal front through placemaking activities.
“Affordable housing is a top priority for many local councils in London’s boroughs, as it benefits residents in the area,” he says. “We worked closely with them on the adaptive reuse of this industrial site, and this strong relationship allowed us to allocate 35% of the units for affordable housing.”
The design of the residential blocks and the incorporation of the gasholder frames were closely scrutinized, as well as the site’s accessibility to the public. A significant portion of the canal frontage that was previously inaccessible will now be activated with new retail and dining options.
Tracy Meller, senior director at RSHP, explains, “It was essential to us and the developer that Regent’s View contributes to the placemaking and rejuvenation of the neighborhood. That’s why we chose to use a landscape buffer around the site instead of traditional high walls. We also took advantage of the circular forms of the gasholder frames, creating a more gentle contrast to the edges of the site. This design allows for natural permeability through the site, across the central landscaped courtyard, and towards the canal front.”
The ground floors of all five buildings will also feature non-residential uses. The two largest gasholder structures along the waterfront will include public-facing commercial amenities such as cafes, bars, and restaurants. The remaining three buildings will have resident-exclusive spaces such as a concierge and facilities.
Regent’s View is not the only industrial brownfield site with heritage gasholder frames that St William is developing. As part of the land bank they acquired from their partnership with National Grid, they are also developing a 23-acre site in the borough of Newham, creating a mixed-use project with 2,000 units. They are currently collaborating with RSHP on the design plans for this site, which was previously home to the now-defunct Bromley-By-Bow Gasworks. The site includes seven Victorian-era gasholder frames, the largest collection of surviving gasholders of its kind in the world. Development of this site is expected to begin next year.
Last year, St William launched the sale of The Wright Building, a six-story block at Regent’s View featuring one- to three-bedroom units ranging from 628 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. The block is over 70% sold, with prices starting from GBP 675,000 ($1.15 million) to GBP 1.63 million. The Wright Building is set to be completed next year.
In September, St William launched the sale of The Westwood Building, another six-story block offering one- and three-bedroom units ranging from 584 sq ft to 1,247 sq ft. The majority of the units in this block are one-bedroom, making it an attractive option for international investors. Prices at The Westwood Building start from GBP 585,000 for a one-bedroom unit to GBP 1.68 million for a three-bedroom unit.
According to Dean Summers, over 50% of international buyers are based in Asia. “We have seen a strong interest from international buyers, especially those looking for a base for their children attending university or for a professional residence close to London’s financial hubs,” he says.
Summers reveals that the next sales phase for Regent’s View will feature units in the 13-story block facing the canal, and will be launched in the second half of 2025. “Our third sales phase will include some of the largest units at Regent’s View, such as our three-bedroom options, and we anticipate a high level of interest as most of the commercial amenities will be located on the ground floor, and most units will offer stunning views of the canal or the landscaped courtyard.”
The strong interest from buyers at Regent’s View also reflects the growing trend of international buyers considering new developments in London’s Zone 2 neighborhoods. “As property prices in central London continue to rise, investors looking for attractive rental premiums are turning to properties in Zone 2,” says Summers.