by Denis Hall
International drinks company Coca-Cola are being tipped as possible tenants for Bredero Properties’ and London Transport’s 560,000-sq ft Centre West scheme in Hammersmith, W6.
Coca-Cola Holdings UK are understood to be in the market for a new 90,000-sq ft national headquarters in west London. At present, they are based at London Transport’s and MEPC’s Pemberton House, Wrights Lane, W8. Coca-Cola & Schweppes Beverages — their other major UK presence — have occupied 85,800 sq ft of offices in Sun Alliance’s 154,000-sq ft Charter Place, Uxbridge, at £19 per sq ft since 1987.
Letting agents for Centre West, Jones Lang Wootton, remain tight-lipped about negotiations on the scheme. “There is a requirement by Coca-Cola in the market,” says the firm’s David Dawson-Goodey, “but beyond that there is no information available.”
Coca-Cola are the second major American occupier in the UK to take an interest in Centre West. At the end of last year American bank Citicorp were believed to have pulled out at the eleventh hour on negotiations for up to 200,000 sq ft of the scheme.
Centre West first received planning consent as long ago as 1980 But in May 1986, when the new Labour-controlled council declared part of the site a conservation area, Bredero had to apply for listed building consent for demolition.
A year later, Bredero appealed against non-determination of applications and a public inquiry was held in August 1987. The inspector dismissed Bredero’s appeal only to see Nicholas Ridley, the then Environment Secretary, agree with his findings and disagree with his conclusions.
Hammersmith & Fulham gave consent for the redesigned scheme in January 1989. Completion is scheduled for the end of 1992.
Stuart Neils & Co are acting for Coca-Cola. Strutt & Parker are joint agents with JLW on Centre West.
