Brent Cross Town celebrates topping out

Brent Cross Town, the 180-acre, £8bn net zero park town being delivered by the partnership between Related Argent and Barnet Council, celebrates continued construction progress with the topping out of its first two residential buildings.

The first building, currently known as Plot 12, will deliver 120 affordable homes, a mix of predominantly social rented homes for existing secure tenants of the Whitefield Estate, shared equity homes for existing Leaseholders, and additional shared ownership homes. It comprises two blocks surrounding the vibrant new Claremont Park to the south, with the High Street to the north and three retail units on the ground floor. Once completed, the blocks will be owned and managed by housing association L&Q, with the first residents expected to move in towards the end of 2024.

The second building, The Delamarre, will provide 170 studio, one, two and three-bedroom for-sale apartments. Inspired by the Edwardian mansion blocks of Hampstead and Highgate, the bay-fronted brick building will feature a residents’ courtyard garden in the centre. The topping out of The Delamarre signals the continued expansion of Brent Cross Town’s residential offering, which has experienced strong sales demand, with the first residents anticipated to move in in late 2024. The Delamarre building is part of the joint venture with Invesco Real Estate, which is acting on behalf of a US separate account client, to bring forward the first major phase of homes, including 800 market sale and Build-to-Rent (BTR) homes as well as retail and dining.

These important construction milestones build on wider momentum at Brent Cross Town that will be bolstered by the opening of the new Brent Cross West station by the end of the year, which will connect to King’s Cross in as little as 12 minutes. The first permanent park, Claremont Park, opened in 2022, the first of seven parks for the area, revitalising an underused existing green space. Close to 650 affordable, market sale and build-to-rent homes are on site, along with 662 student rooms in partnership with Fusion Students. Sheffield Hallam University will open its first satellite campus outside Sheffield at Brent Cross Town, and a joint venture between Audley Group and Senior Living Investment Partners will create a retirement village with around 150 homes.

Alongside the achievement with the design and build, the topping out reflects the close-knit community at Brent Cross Town, with the Whitefield Estate Resident Steering Group, who have been a core part of the planning and delivery process for the affordable homes taking part. Those attending the ceremonies also included key Related Argent, Barnet Council and L&Q team members, Invesco and NatWest as investors, and Midgard as the main contractor responsible for constructing both buildings.

For The Delamarre, the celebration involved Related Argent, Invesco and NatWest attendees laying the final piece of insulation at the roof level. For Plot 12, Barnet Council, Related Argent, L&Q and Whitefield Estate Resident Steering Group representatives smoothed the last piece of concrete on the top of the building.

Tom Goodall, managing director of Related Argent, said: “We are delighted to mark these two significant milestones in the progress of the development of Brent Cross Town. With the first permanent public park opening last summer, and already a favourite local amenity for the existing community, two residential buildings now at full height, and three more well underway, the emerging town centre is visibly taking shape. It is a testament to the commitment and dedication of all involved that we have reached this point.”

Councillor Ross Houston, deputy leader of Barnet Council and cabinet member for Homes and Regeneration, said: “At the heart of Brent Cross Town is our commitment to provide a range of much-needed quality housing for the people of Barnet. I am pleased to see the progress on site as the first new homes move closer to completion. We look forward to welcoming the first residents to Brent Cross Town next year, with social housing the first to be completed across the new development.”

Vicky Savage, executive group director of development and sales at L&Q, said: “We are delighted to mark more and more milestones as part of the growth of Brent Cross Town. We are committed to seeing the local community thrive, with access to all the right facilities and amenities and significant investment in infrastructure. Related Argent are known for their excellence in placemaking, so we are proud to share their values and vision, and we look forward to soon welcoming residents into their new affordable homes.”

John German, managing director at Invesco Real Estate, said: “The topping out of The Delamarre marks a significant milestone in our joint venture with Related Argent as it shows the tremendous progress the project has made since we closed in October 2022. This, coupled with the substantial headway that we have seen on the other three plots, vindicates our confidence in both Related Argent as a partner and Brent Cross Town as an investment for our client.”

Mark Pope, NatWest relationship director, said: “We are delighted to have been able to provide the support needed to progress this fantastic long-term project. This facility evidences NatWest’s continued support towards the undersupplied housing sector and underlines what can be achieved when there is a strong sponsor in a great location with the right product offering.”

Kevin Keegan, managing director at Midgard, said: “The ‘topping-out’ of the structure is a major milestone in the construction of any new building and has even more significance when the buildings are the first on a project of this scale and importance. We are delighted to be involved in Brent Cross Town development and thank Related Argent for giving us the opportunity to participate. With this being a net-zero town, we really are building the future of London.”

Eileen Douglas of the Whitefield Estate Resident Steering Group said: “I have lived on the Whitefield Estate for over 40 years and have been involved all the way along as the plans for Brent Cross Town have evolved. The Brent Cross Town team have been fantastic in keeping me and other residents up to date as our new homes are built. I feel the development has so much to offer for the future. It’s long-awaited and long overdue, so it is more than welcome to see the progress that is now being made and the quality of the design and construction. I am looking forward to moving in!”

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