King & Wood teams with DLA
A team of real estate lawyers from King & Wood Mallesons has joined DLA Piper in the UK and Germany.
William Naunton was appointed co-head of UK real estate, bringing a team of six partners with him.
Former Munich KWM partner Lars Reubekeul will head up the business in Germany.
U+I in JV with Colony NorthStar
U+I and Colony NorthStar have formed a JV platform to invest in the London, Manchester and Dublin office markets.
It is expected to deploy €300m (£259m) over the next investment period.
The partners will each own 50% of the JV.
Luton plant to become towers
Luton Borough Council has approved plans for developer J2 Global to transform its part of the 150-acre former Vauxhall car plant site into a £300m development.
Napier Gateway will also include a 22-storey tower, which will be Luton’s tallest building, along with 685 flats, wellbeing centre, 209-bedroom hotel and a retail and leisure complex.
Pratt to advise on housing
Andrew Pratt has been appointed as a senior adviser to the government’s Housing Growth Partnership to help provide finance for smaller housebuilders.
Pratt’s role as senior consultant is to introduce builders to the partnership and assess credibility, present opportunities to the investment committee, and monitor the progress of sites.
Dance academy’s quickstep
York Place Buildings, an affiliate of Weinbergers Investments, has agreed a deal to build a new 64,000 sq ft home for the Royal Academy of Dance in Wandsworth, SW11, alongside 275 flats at 198 York Road, SW11.
In exchange, York Place will take on RAD’s existing home at 36 Battersea Square, SW11, to develop 34 flats and five town houses.
