by Stephen Dark
Rank Xerox have decided to withdraw from their provisional agreement with Sun Alliance Group Properties to occupy their 200,000-sq ft Hillingdon Circus office development.
The £40m scheme in west London, being developed with London Underground, already suffered a setback in March with the temporary withdrawal of the planning application.
This was in the face of objections from the council’s planning department that the scheme would constitute overdevelopment of the site.
A council spokesman commented then: “The applicants may not have to reduce the scheme’s office content in order to gain consent.” Since that time the developers have been in negotiation with the planners.
Market rumour has suggested that the planners were prepared to agree to the massing of the scheme if it were intended to be a headquarters for a single tenant like Rank. But this week Sun Alliance assistant director Nick Colvin denied this, saying he did not see Rank Xerox’s occupancy as crucial to the project going ahead as envisaged.
Explaining their decision to withdraw, Rank Xerox said: “The company has decided not to proceed as it would not be in a position to commit to an agreement to lease within the given time-frame.”
Sun Alliance’s usual policy of not seeking prelettings on their developments — which Colvin said had been overriden for Rank — is now once more applicable to the site.
The scheme, which includes a new underground station as well as office space, is located at the junction of the A40 Western Avenue and Long Lane.
Agents for Sun Alliance are Grimley J R Eve. Jones Lang Wootton are advising London Underground on the development.
