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St William, a subsidiary of London-listed real estate company Berkeley Group, is promoting their latest residential project, Regent’s View, located in London. This unique development, situated in Zone 2, has been created through an adaptive reuse scheme, transforming a decommissioned Victorian-era gasholder site into a mixed-use development with canal-front views.
The project, which consists of 555 units, has already received global recognition, being awarded “Best Future Residential Project” at the 2024 World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore. St William, in collaboration with its architect partner RSHP, has successfully repurposed the iconic gasholder frames into an integral architectural element of the new development.
Originally formed in 2014 as a 50:50 joint venture between Berkeley Group and London’s National Grid, St William’s aim is to revitalize decommissioned industrial sites into new, vibrant residential and community spaces. In 2022, St William acquired full ownership of the company after purchasing National Grid’s stake for GBP412.5 million ($705 million).
Regent’s View, one of St William’s ongoing projects, is located on a 4.5-acre site in East London’s Tower Hamlets borough. The site, formerly known as the Bethnal Green Gasholders, has been a landmark in the area since the 1850s, supplying gas to homes in the district. After being decommissioned in 2012, St William has now transformed the site into a modern mixed-use development, with two of the residential towers framed by restored gasholder structures.
The project will feature five contemporary residential buildings, ranging from six to 13 stories, surrounded by a landscaped park. Additionally, the development will include 45,000 sq ft of ground floor commercial and community space, with access to a 100m section of the canal, which has been closed to the public for over 150 years. This will activate the area with new food and beverage options.
Despite some initial controversy surrounding the redevelopment of the site, with a petition signed by over 8,000 people calling for its preservation, the Tower Hamlets council approved the project in a vote of seven-to-one. St William has spent almost five years on the project, engaging with the local community and incorporating their feedback to preserve the gasholder frames and rejuvenate the canal front through placemaking activities.
St William has also prioritized affordable housing in their development, allocating 35% of the units for this purpose. The design of the development also includes ground floor space for non-residential use, with larger gasholder buildings along the waterfront featuring commercial and community amenities, while the remaining buildings will have access to resident-exclusive spaces.
In addition to Regent’s View, St William is also redeveloping a 23-acre site in Newham, turning it into a 2,000-unit mixed-use project. The site, acquired from the joint venture with National Grid, features seven Victorian-era gasholder frames and is the largest collection of surviving gasholders of this era in the world. Development of this site is expected to begin next year.
St William has already launched the sale of The Wright Building, a six-storey block at Regent’s View, with prices ranging from GBP675,000 ($1.15 million) to GBP1.63 million. The block, which is over 70% sold, is expected to be completed next year. The second sales phase, The Westwood Building, was launched in September and features units starting at GBP585,000 for a one-bedroom to GBP1.68 million for a three-bedroom. St William expects this block to appeal to international investors, with its proximity to key educational institutions and local amenities.
Over 50% of Regent’s View’s international buyers are based in Asia, showing a growing interest in London’s city fringe neighborhoods in Zone 2. With Central London properties becoming increasingly expensive, St William believes this trend will continue as investors seek better rental premiums in these areas. The next sales phase at Regent’s View is expected to come in the second half of 2025, featuring some of the largest units with views of either the waterfront or the landscaped courtyard.