British Land and Oxford Properties appoint Laing O'Rourke at Leadenhall.
British Land and Oxford Properties today announced the appointment of Laing O’Rourke as the main contractor on The Leadenhall Building, EC3.
Following completion of the joint venture between British Land and Oxford Properties in 2010, construction work recommenced on site in January 2011. Foundations and preliminary basement works are nearing completion and with the construction contract awarded within budget and ahead of time, the main construction works are expected to start in September.
Nigel Webb, Head of Developments at British Land, said: “Laing O’Rourke has an excellent track record of delivering major schemes and we look forward to working with them to deliver The Leadenhall Building, which is set to become a defining City landmark.”
Richard Pilkington, Development Director at Oxford Properties, added: “Laing O’Rourke’s selection as our construction partner is a great milestone for The Leadenhall Building and further underpins our delivery for 2014.”
Roger Robinson, Chief Executive at Laing O’Rourke’s Europe Hub said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this unique project in the City of London. It is a complex build programme which will require exceptional engineering capabilities to successfully deliver the landmark scheme that our clients are expecting from us.”
The 47 storey, 736 ft (224m) Leadenhall tower is set to become one of the tallest buildings in the City of London and will combine nearly half an acre of landscaped open space with modern, flexible offices and retail and dining facilities.
Owing to its tapering shape The Leadenhall Building will deliver floor plates of varying size, ranging from 21,000 sq ft on the lower floors to 6,000 sq ft at the top of the tower. The design offers an efficient and adaptable floorplate with superb views and natural light.
In October 2010, British Land agreed Heads of Terms to develop The Leadenhall Building with Oxford Properties in a 50:50 joint venture basis. In May 2011, non-binding Heads of Terms were agreed with Aon Limited for a 191,000 sq ft pre-let at the scheme with options to take a further 85,000 sq ft.
Source: laingorourke.com