CONTACTAward-winning developer and Aldar-owned company London Square has acquired the magnificent Grade II* listed County Hall in affluent Kingston-Upon-Thames in South-west London
This latest acquisition will give London Square the opportunity to showcase its outstanding expertise in the restoration and conversion of a listed building. The handsome County Hall, built in the classical style, will be transformed into a premium development, creating a new chapter for a landmark in the heart of one of South-west London’s most desirable districts, a short walk from the Thames and Kingston town centre
The 5.2 acre site, the former main headquarters for Surrey County Council, comprises the main listed County Hall and a range of other buildings and courtyard areas. It was originally purchased in 2021 by RER London. Planning permission is already in place for the refurbishment, restoration and extension of the County Hall to provide 292 homes, a mix of 256 private and 36 affordable, plus 4,408 sqm of commercial space
Adam Lawrence, London Square’s Chief Executive Officer, said
Other award-winning restoration and conversion projects undertaken by London Square include the former Branston Pickle Factory and tannery at London Square Bermondsey and London Square Spitalfields, a collection of homes set around the restored Grade II listed Toynbee Hall in East London.
The town centre in the Royal Borough of Kingston, located seven miles from Heathrow and 12 miles from central London, is one of the biggest shopping and food destinations in London, attracting people from neighbouring Richmond, Wimbledon, Esher and Walton-on-Thames. The historic town has riverside walks, boating and is close to the 1,000 acres of Royal Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace, home of Henry VIII.
Over £1.5 billion has been committed to new developments in the past two years in Kingston, including a £32 million refurbishment of the area surrounding the train station. Unilever is to consolidate their head office into a new 276,000 sq ft global HQ in Kingston, bringing 2,000 new jobs.
Kingston station is within a 15-minute walk from County Hall, with services into London Waterloo taking around 29 minutes, and services from nearby Surbiton taking under 20 minutes. The M25 and the A3 are nearby, providing fast access to central London, Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
The town has top ranking educational facilities, with highly rated schools at every level, including high performing grammar and independent schools at secondary level. Kingston University London has over 20,000 students in total and is ranked a top 5 university in London in 21 subjects (2023 Guardian University Guide).
London Square has achieved outstanding growth this year, with a renewed focus on prime development sites. The former Surrey County Hall site is its ninth acquisition following on from the purchase of Westminster Tower, opposite the Houses of Parliament , Tite Street in Chelsea, as well as Vauxhall and Brook Green, Woolwich, Stratford Cross, Willesden and leafy Twickenham in zones 2 & 3, delivering over 2,000 new homes across a mix of tenures over the next 10 years.
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