by Duncan Lamb
News International are thought to be on the verge of committing themselves to up to 200,000 sq ft of space in the £450m mixed-use scheme being proposed by Trinity Tower Property Co at Thomas More Street, London E1.
Less than a month after the developers announced major revisions to their project — shrinking the floorspace from 1.1m sq ft to 800,000 sq ft — it seems likely that Rupert Murdoch’s News International, based primarily in nearby Wapping, are ready to take an option on a large slice of the scheme.
News International are known to be looking at the reorganisation of their News of the World, Sunday Times Magazine and Today operations — with the latter tipped as the possible first tenant in Thomas More Street.
A spokesman for Trinity Tower — who are formed jointly by Skanska International and Windborne Investments — said that negotiations were under way with a major tenant, but that the situation depended on the outcome of the new planning application.
Grimley J R Eve are advising the developers on the project, which would provide 480,000 sq ft of offices, 18,000 sq ft of retailing plus extensive sports and leisure facilities.
