Castleforge

London’s office market is making a comeback, driven by the power of connectivity. While the pandemic led many to predict the demise of urban workspace hubs, unwavering demand for collaboration and productivity is reinforcing the value of proximity to key business networks. Our latest blog explores how commuter accessibility is shaping the office market’s recovery—and why transport hubs are emerging as the key battleground for office demand.

Trends in employment may ebb and flow, but one thing is certain: London will always stand tall as a global hub for business and innovation.   It’s no surprise, then, that investors are once again turning their attention to London’s prime office market, recognising the strong potential for value creation in a market with limited supply and strong demand.   At Castleforge, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this resurgence with the transformation of 75 London Wall. This landmark project will deliver an impressive 450,000 square feet of premium, amenity-led office space in a top City of London location, answering the growing demand for high-quality workplaces that meet the needs of the modern workforce.   Estates Gazette recently attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the development – a joint venture between Castleforge and engineering, property, and infrastructure group GAMUDA BERHAD – to hear more about the project and why there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the London market.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ehfjq6gy

The UK housing market is in crisis and levels of affordability are at their lowest in living memory. The new government aims to address this by loosening planning restrictions, reforming planning policy, and expanding local government construction. In our latest blog, we discuss why a sole focus on supply-side drivers of housing unaffordability is incomplete, and why demand-side drivers, such as wages and productivity growth, warrant closer examination.

This week, we were delighted to welcome GAMUDA BERHAD to London to mark the next stage in the £1.2bn redevelopment of 75 London Wall in the City of London, with a groundbreaking ceremony and the signing of one of London's largest ever property development loans of £500 million. In collaboration with alternative investment fund manager Cheyne Capital, this £1.2 billion redevelopment will transform the former Deutsche Bank London headquarters into a top-tier office space totalling more than 450,000 square feet, setting the bar for sustainable commercial hubs with the highest ESG standards: BREEAM 'Outstanding', WELL Core 'Platinum', and NABERS UK 5 Star Design. The groundbreaking ceremony brought together industry leaders and key government officials – including Gus Wiseman, Global Head of Investor Relations at the UK Department for Business & Trade, and Howard Dawber, the Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth – showcasing the strong partnerships driving this project forward. We are proud to lead this transformative venture in the heart of London’s financial district, reaffirming our commitment to delivering best-in-class workspaces that prioritise sustainability and tenant well-being, as well as set new standards for the adaptive reuse of office buildings. For more information, please visit: https://lnkd.in/e5NcvXVD

The debate over whether leading companies need high-quality offices in 2025 is over. The focus for the next decade is now on bringing these premium spaces to life – and investors are racing to catch up with this soaring demand.   You can read more about the thoughts of our Founding Partner, Michael Kovacs, on the topic in The Times' latest feature on ‘The Future of Work’: https://lnkd.in/e5PxjVwq

We are delighted to kick off 2025 by announcing the acquisition of Redhill Data Centre, in partnership with Galaxy Data Centers, with a development value of over £100 million.   The partnership marks our first investment in the booming data centres industry, with London now positioned as the most dominant market in Europe.   We now plan to significantly expand the data centre’s capacity to meet the increasing demand for robust digital infrastructure, driven by technological advances.   Read more on the news via this link: https://lnkd.in/ey2w67hC

Last week, our Founding Partner, Michael Kovacs, shared his thoughts in The Times on the challenges facing the UK housing market and the limitations of Build-to-Rent developments. You can read Michael's full column here: https://lnkd.in/e3ex69e3

We have now officially begun the enabling and demolition works for our redevelopment of the iconic 75 London Wall site, in partnership with GAMUDA BERHAD.   The project will transform 75 London Wall into a state-of-the-art, grade A+ workspace that redefines tenant wellbeing and delivers the highest sustainability standards.   The redevelopment will expand the capacity of the existing building to deliver more than 450,000 net square feet of premium office space and will set a new standard for the adaptive reuse of community-focused office developments in the City of London.   You can read more on the news at the link below. https://lnkd.in/ei49hKwN

As a result of broader transformations in the higher-education sector, a shift in student living is redefining the purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) landscape. In our latest blog, we explore how rising demand from international students has fueled the rise of luxury dorms and why PBSA has become a hot spot for real estate investors. With UK universities maintaining global prestige, we examine the financial challenges facing the higher education sector and how shifts in international student policies could impact this evolving market

Our Founding Partner, Michael Kovacs sat down with Sarah Marx from PEI to discuss the rebound in the London office market and how this could lead to greater deal volumes.   You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/drnGeSnr