BNP Paribas Real Estate Investment Management (REIM) has purchased the freehold to 25 Victoria Street in Central London from Delancey Real Estate on behalf of its client funds for £42.5m, in what marks the first UK acquisition of its pan-European “European Impact Property Fund” (EIPF).
In the tenth acquisition for the fund overall, it has secured the Grade A building comprising 53,652 sq ft (4,984 sqm) of office, retail and leisure accommodation over a 0.25 acre site. It is arranged over 9 floors and is multi-let to six tenants, with its floorplates ranging from 2,469 sq ft to 6,733 sq ft (229 sqm to 623 sqm).
Swati Srivastava, Head of Institutional Sales & Investor Relations (UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Nordics and International Clients) commented: “Launched in 2020, the European Impact Property Fund (EIPF) is one of the first property funds aligned with the Paris Agreement, intending to pioneer the fight against climate change. On top of offering investors the ability to gain diversified exposure to real estate through a long-term, multi-country and multisector allocation, EIPF, an Article 9 fund, has the ambitious target of generating a positive and measurable environmental impact alongside robust financial returns to support climate transition to a low-carbon economy.”
“The fund’s strategy targets on average a 74% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across its portfolio within 10 years. To achieve this objective, it implements a dynamic ‘best-in-progress’ approach to deliver appropriate capex interventions to drive sustainability gains. This will act to improve the environmental performance of EIPF’s portfolio.”
Ben Mort, Investment Manager at BNP Paribas REIM commented: “We have been looking at opportunities within the London market throughout 2023 to secure the fund’s first entry into the UK. We have committed to 25 Victoria Street as a result of its attractive tenants and base build quality. It has strong asset management potential to further enhance its value and deliver excellent returns for investors. The fund’s business plan will target enhancing the building’s environmental status by cutting its greenhouse gas emissions as well as curbing overall energy consumption.
“The Victoria market is forecast to see strong prime rental growth over the next years. Following a programme of targeted environmental interventions and on-floor upgrades, we will be well positioned to capture this growth. This acquisition forms part of a wider strategy by BNP Paribas REIM to acquire and manage living assets.”
Originally developed by Land Securities in 1996, the property boasts strong fundamentals with a corner position and extensive frontage onto Victoria Street and Abbey Orchard Street. It is well connected with three stations within a 7- minute walk, providing access to London Underground and National Rail services.
Michael Elliott and Norton Rose Fulbright acted for BNP Paribas REIM. CBRE and Hogan Lovells acted for Delancey Real Estate on behalf of client funds.
