White City: London's new commercial and residential hotspot
- Former home of the BBC, W12 is becoming one of London's most attractive postcodes for business, retail and property investment.
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With the bulk of London's urban regeneration projects taking place in the central districts and the east, West London is making up for lost time. White City in W12 is the most dynamic of these revitalized areas, a former industrial and broadcasting site that's quickly become established as a compelling alternative for overseas property investment.
The £8 billion (HKD 82.6bn) White City Opportunity Area is a collaboration between the local Hammersmith and Fulham Council and investors that will see the addition of two million square feet of commercial and office space to White City over the next few years. This includes the expansion of Westfield London, Europe's largest shopping mall, and 400,000 square feet of repurposed commercial space at the former BBC Television Centre.
\With this commercial expansion comes the creation of an estimated 20,000 new jobs over the next five years, 8,000 of these related to the Westfield expansion alone, and local government has pledged £600,000 to provide training and apprenticeships to local residents to improve their employability prospects.
More people working locally also means more housing is needed, with approximately 6,000 homes being added to White City over the next few years. These will be a mix of affordable homes and luxury apartments targeted at local and overseas property buyers, supported by a wide range of amenities to support the growing community.
New lease on life
White City's most iconic building, the Grade-II listed BBC Television Centre, is the epicenter of the urban regeneration. Purchased by Stanmore in 2012, the first phase of renovations created over 400 luxury homes and 400,000 square feet of commercial space in the distinctive doughnut-shaped building. Notable tenants include Bluebird Café, boutique grocer Bayley & Sage, Homeslice pizzeria and White City House, a 45-room hotel with rooftop pool operated by Soho House.