EMERGING LONDON 2018

BRENT CROSS SOUTH NW4 KEY STATISTICS C&W Evolutionary Status: UNTAPPED C&W Location Ranking: 93 TfL travel zone: 3 Local authority: Barnet Distance from central London: 6 miles north west Population: 397,000 (©GLA borough population projections 2018) Brent Cross, named after a crossroads near the river Brent, is best known as "London’s first modern shopping centre" (opened in 1976). Less well-known is that the area is located in the London borough of Barnet (and not neighbouring Brent, as is commonly believed). Apart from shoppers, Brent Cross is familiar to drivers in north London, as the A406 North Circular has a prominent junction with the start of the M1 motorway close to the shopping centre. For decades a jumble of dilapidated light industrial and other commercial buildings has proliferated around a maze of local roads either side of the North Circular, but in 2005 Barnet Council adopted plans for the creation of a new town centre, to be underpinned by housing and employment opportunities. The £4.5bn Brent Cross Cricklewood masterplan covering a total of 370 acres, originally launched in 2008, now comprises two, interlinked, development zones, plus a transport hub. In 2015, development partnership Argent Related, (a partnership between the two companies Argent and Related) entered into a joint venture agreement with Barnet Council to develop Brent Cross South, a new town centre for north London. A new High Street and 6,700 homes are planned, (see Interview pages 50-51), with construction due to start in 2019. Barnet Council is also working with Network Rail on the opening, in 2022, of a new Thameslink mainline railway station as an integral part of the new development. On the other side of the North Circular, Brent Cross revolutionised shopping when it opened 40 years ago and now its owners, Hammerson and Aberdeen Standard Investments, are planning a £1.4 billion regeneration of the centre to create a world- class shopping and leisure destination. The redevelopment and refurbishment of Brent Cross London will double the size of the existing centre to 2 million sq ft of retail and leisure space. The plans include up to 150 new retail stores and 50 new restaurants, state of the art leisure offer anchored by London’s first ‘Cinema de Lux’ and a new hotel. Ensuring the scheme remains relevant to changing retail and consumer demands, the new centre will attract leading international and UK retail brands alongside space for local businesses, pop-ups and concept stores which will test consumer appetite for the latest trends. The new scheme will retain flagship John Lewis and Fenwick stores, with a new agreement for lease with John Lewis for a full store refurbishment confirmed in May. The scheme will also deliver a new Marks & Spencer anchor store. All three stores were part of the original Brent Cross when it opened in 1976. A major new addition will be the creation of a market level on the upper floor paying tribute to London’s popular foodie heritage. Set to be a destination in its own right with restaurants, food stalls and producers, the architecture for this quarter will be inspired by the urban markets in London. Brent Cross London will also benefit from parks, a new town square and riverside landscaping which will deliver a new pedestrian route to a living bridge and create a connection to the wider regeneration taking place to the south. The current centre, an iconic part of the local community, will remain open as usual throughout the development programme. Spotlight on 49 48 CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD  | EMERGING LONDON SPOTLIGHT ON BRENT CROSS SOUTH