Brent Cross Town, one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe, has commenced major construction on the first buildings in the new neighbourhood. Brent Cross Town is being delivered in partnership by Related Argent and Barnet Council.
The first building to be constructed will offer 120 new affordable homes and is set to welcome residents in late 2024. The early delivery of affordable homes alongside new public parks is a key part of the Brent Cross Town development plan. Alongside this, construction is also progressing on the first homes to buy at Brent Cross Town in The Ashbee, which will create 107 new homes, is also set to complete by the end of 2024.
Both of the buildings are being constructed by Midgard, part of the JRL Group, a UK-owned specialist in integrated construction which will employ up to 350 people across the two sites at any one time.
Brent Cross Town has set a target of drawing at least 20% of its workforce from the borough of Barnet and 6% of the overall workforce force to be apprentices. Brent Cross Town is focused on bringing more women into its construction teams and is calling on all local skilled construction workers, and those interested in learning a trade as an apprentice, to explore the opportunities on offer at Brent Cross Town. More information on the jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities available at Brent Cross Town can be found: Transforming Brent Cross Cricklewood | Opportunities.
Midgard already employ local people, including 19-year old Ruben Bizgan, a recently qualified carpenter working at Brent Cross Town. Ruben said: “I started working with Midgard as an apprentice carpenter and after a year’s training I’m now a fully qualified carpenter working as part of the team that is building the new homes at Brent Cross Town. I’ve lived in Barnet for the past couple of years, so it is a great feeling to be working on a project that is going to change the face of the local area.”
With its work on these two residential buildings, Midgard will build on the success of Brent Cross Town’s first contractor Galldris, which achieved both the 20% local workforce and the 6% apprenticeships targets.
André Gibbs, Partner for Related Argent says: “We are delighted that full construction is now underway on the first buildings at Brent Cross Town. This reflects a period of rapid progress for the development. As well as the first homes to buy and affordable homes being under construction, we have also announced our first commercial tenant with Sheffield Hallam University, which is bringing its first satellite campus to Brent Cross Town, and our joint venture with Invesco Real Estate.
“All of this brings new opportunities for the local community, with new jobs and training opportunities available on our construction sites and new education and employment opportunities coming with the new university. Now is the ideal time for local skilled people to explore a new job on their doorstep, as well as for young people to take their first steps on a future career.”
Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council, added: “Ensuring local people benefit from the development of Brent Cross Town is essential. Combined with new construction jobs and training opportunities as part of the build, this development will provide new homes for council tenants living in the Whitefield Estate and it’s being completed alongside community infrastructure such as parks, retail and leisure facilities before any private sale homes are delivered.”
Vicky Savage, Executive Group Director for Development and Sales of L&Q says: “We are delighted to be part of the growth of Brent Cross Town, one of the most ambitious and exciting regeneration schemes in London and indeed the country. It is not often that a project this size starts with the delivery of affordable housing first, so we are glad to be able to partner with Related Argent on this, who share our vision and values and whose placemaking and community-building efforts are well-known throughout the industry.”
Affordable Residential
The first building to be built at Brent Cross Town is the 100,000 sq ft affordable residential building, designed by award-winning Maccreanor Lavington and Whittam Cox Architects. It spans two connected blocks of 13 and nine storeys which will create 120 affordable homes. The new homes will range from one to four bedrooms and will provide new homes for existing secure tenants and leaseholder residents of Norden Point, Clare Point and Whychcote Point in the Whitefield Estate. A small number of homes will be available via Shared Ownership schemes.
L&Q has been appointed by Related Argent as the registered housing provider for this new affordable residential building. L&Q is one of the UK’s leading charitable housing associations, it owns and manages more than 100,000 homes across London and the southeast and has more than 250,000 existing residents. L&Q is also Barnet Council’s selected partner for the new affordable homes it is delivering, located off Brent Terrace, which will provide new residences for other secure tenants and leaseholders living on the Whitefield Estate.
Homes to Buy
The first homes to buy at Brent Cross Town will be at The Ashbee, designed by Squire & Partners, which will have 107 studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including maisonettes. Residents of The Ashbee will be part of The Claremont Club, offering workspace, health and leisure facilities.
The Ashbee is being delivered through Related Argent’s recently announced joint venture with Invesco Real Estate, the global real estate investment manager, which is acting on behalf of a US separate client, to deliver £600m of Gross Development Value (“GDV”) at the Brent Cross Town, including the first major phase of homes, retail and leisure. The joint venture will bring forward 800 market sale and Build-to-Rent (BtR) homes, as well as retail and dining.
New residents will benefit from Brent Cross Town’s state-of-the-art district heat network, being created in partnership with Vattenfall, which will deliver reliable, low-carbon heating and hot water to all Brent Cross Town residents. The district heat network also removes the need for individual boilers in each home and ensures heating and hot water is always available. The partnership with Vattenfall is part of Brent Cross Town’s commitment to being a net zero town by 2030 at the latest.
The first residents to move in 2024 will also benefit from the recently opened 5-acre Claremont Park, new retail and leisure amenities as well as the new Brent Cross West station. Sheffield Hallam University also recently announced it will open its first campus outside of Sheffield at Brent Cross Town.
Brent Cross Town has been designed to provide the facilities and amenities that residents need for daily life all available within walking distance. A new high street will bring together well-known and independent shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as exceptional indoor and outdoor sports, fitness and wellness facilities. It will have eight new public squares and seven new and improved parks. The first phases of development at Brent Cross Town will include around 1,000 new homes for sale and rent, as well as affordable homes, up to 1 million square feet of offices, new sport and play facilities, shops and restaurants.
