Topland Group, the privately owned investment group with property assets in the region of £2 billion, continues to be active. Joining forces with L’Oreal, it developed in partnership a 257,000 sq ft site on Green Property’s Electric Park scheme on Trafford Park, which will be used by L’Oreal as its national distribution centre for its Consumer Products Division. Closer to home, Topland also acquired the Lord Justice Building at 42–49 High Holborn for £58 million. The 114,000 sq ft landmark building houses the main central London Divorce Courts.

Heron International disposed of 16 St James’s Street SW1 to LNC Property Group for £40 million. The flagship building comprises five floors of offices, a top restaurant and six residential apartments, which have been redeveloped behind its listed facade.

Chelsfield acquired and sold a series of commercial investment properties in Central London for a consideration of circa £30 million.

Threadneedle bought a portfolio of 5 commercial multilet properties for approximately £30 million. Mishcon de Reya has seen an increase in focus on fund work acting for the Premier Fund for whom it has acquired over £50 million of investment property in recent months. Mishcon is delighted to have been appointed to the panel of UBS Triton Fund and has just completed the purchase for them of an industrial estate at Daventry for £52 million.

Urban Catalyst has entered into a development agreement for the £60 million, 350,000 sq ft mixed-use redevelopment of Barking town centre with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The scheme will comprise office, retail, a lifelong learning centre and some residential. It also continues to make progress with the redevelopment of its £32 million Bermondsey Square mixed-use regeneration scheme. The 121,632 sq ft development combines shops, offices, flats and an open-air antique market.

The Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Ltd and Frogmore Developments Ltd’s joint venture development at Springfield Business Park, Chelmsford is a 65-acre mixed-use park. In the last year Mishcon de Reya has acted for the joint venture on lettings including the pre-letting of a 30,000 sq foot purposebuilt distribution centre to Menzies Distribution.

Frogmore has also been busy in obtaining planning consent for the third and final phase of the major mixed-use redevelopment of Gypsy Corner on the A40 in Park Royal, West London. Frogmore’s plans include the reorganisation of the local road gyratory system, a new access road, a car showroom and ancillary workshop, employment uses, a hotel, mixed B1 use retail, leisure, residential and parking.

Private investor St James’ Capital acquired and sold a well-known casino in St James’s St London SW1 for circa £25 million. Whilst on the subject of casinos, Mishcon de Reya is also delighted to have been appointed by American casino operator Ameristar in connection with its proposed rollout following anticipated modernisation of UK gaming regulations.

Helical has been involved in a number of purchases including Dales Manor Business Park Sawston acquired in joint venture with Dencora Estates Limited and Hawtin Park Blackwood Gwent.