Make’s proposals for Singapore-based developer Hoi Hup Realty will create a new benchmark for sustainable workplace and public realm in the City. The wider team includes Gleeds as project manager, Savills as leasing advisor and Newmark as planning consultant.
Conceived as a cohesive response to its context and the needs of future occupiers, Make’s design replaces around 250,000ft² of outdated offices with over 370,000ft² of Grade A workspace, alongside a curated mix of civic and cultural uses. Located adjacent to Chancery Lane Station and within five minutes of Farringdon Station and the Elizabeth Line, High Holborn is poised to be the western gateway for future development, representing one of the most significant new office consents in the Square Mile.
At its heart is a series of generous, flexible floorplates designed to accommodate diverse ways of working, supported by landscaped terraces, wellness spaces and a strong public interface. A new cultural venue – the Holborn Dome – and a public pocket park on Southampton Buildings will contribute to the site’s social value, with active ground-floor uses enhancing street-level vibrancy and permeability.
Sustainability is integral to the scheme. The development is targeting BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and EPC ‘A’, and is designed around low-carbon materials, with smart systems throughout, to support long-term performance.
Ken Shuttleworth, Founder and Director, Make Architects, said: “We’re thrilled to receive planning for this fantastic scheme in the City, which reimagines an under-served island site as a best-in-class workplace with a bespoke cultural venue at its heart. It’s been a pleasure working with Hoi Hup to design the building to ambitious sustainability targets and build on the site’s history to transform it into a hub of cultural engagement. The development will be a valuable asset for workers, residents and visitors alike – the next step in the City of London’s strategic repositioning of the Square Mile as a world-leading leisure destination.”
Wong Swee Chun, Chairman, Hoi Hup Realty, commented: “This milestone is the result of extensive consultation and collaboration and we’re incredibly grateful to the City of London Corporation for enabling our maiden scheme to take this positive step forward today. With our global expertise, we are confident this scheme will become a benchmark for quality, sustainability and community contribution in Central London. The Midtown location has great potential, and we are proud to be investing here.”
Chairman of the City of London Planning and Transportation Committee, Tom Sleigh, said: “This is exactly the kind of scheme we want to see more of in the Square Mile – best-in-class office space that keeps London globally competitive, while also delivering public spaces that everyone can enjoy. Supporting the primary business function of the City through meeting this huge level of demand for office space is critical, but I’m particularly pleased by the retention of sections of the Knights Templar, a brilliant way to connect the new venue with the history of the site.”
Robin Brodie Cooper, Partner at Gleeds and past President of the British Council for Offices, said: “Having worked on many high-profile projects in the City of London over the years, Gleeds are delighted to have played a major role in guiding our Singaporean client Hoi Hup to a successful planning consent on their High Holborn scheme. We look forward to now delivering this first class office building designed by Make Architects to form a prominent western gateway into the City of London.”
Felix Rabeneck, Real Estate Advisor and Leasing Agent at Savills added: “We are delighted that the project has achieved this significant milestone on the road to delivering a new world class headquarters building in this highly prominent Midtown location.”
