The Crown Estate Unveils Two Major West End Developments

The Crown Estate has announced two major mixed-use developments in London’s West End, representing the largest programme of office developments in the organisation’s history. The twin projects at 10 Piccadilly and 21–29 Glasshouse Street will inject a combined 169,300 square feet of modernized commercial, retail, and leisure space into the heart of the capital, continuing a strategy of sensitively retrofitting heritage properties across a 10 million square foot central London portfolio.

Contractor Appointments and Architectural Teams for West End Schemes

To execute the ambitious pipeline, The Crown Estate appointed Kier and Bam as main contractors across the two sites.

Architectural oversight has been divided between specialist firms. Piercy&Co was selected as the architect for the Piccadilly landmark, while Emrys was appointed to shape the commercial transformation on Glasshouse Street.

Transforming 10 Piccadilly into a Mixed-Use Icon

At 10 Piccadilly, the project tackles a landmark Grade II-listed building that anchors the southern end of Regent Street and completes the iconic Regent Street curve, facing directly onto Piccadilly Circus. Originally constructed as the Swan & Edgar department store before serving as a prominent Tower Records location in the 1980s, the structure is slated for a comprehensive 90,800 square foot refurbishment.

The upgraded building will dedicate 62,700 square feet to prime office accommodation. It will also house a 26,400 square foot hospitality destination spanning the ground, basement, and first floors, complemented by 1,700 square feet of dedicated retail space fronting Regent Street.

Crucially, the hospitality space is earmarked for a high-profile tenant. Estates Gazette reported that the project is expected to house Time Out’s first UK food hall. Planning for the site has advanced steadily; in 2024, Time Out disclosed plans on the London Stock Exchange to raise £8m through a share sale to fund the London project alongside a New York venue, noting an initial cash outlay of £2.6m to cover the rent deposit on a 15-year lease.

Consolidating Office Space at 21-29 Glasshouse Street

Just around the corner, the second development focuses on combining two existing office buildings into a single, cohesive commercial scheme at 21-29 Glasshouse Street. The retrofit will yield 63,000 square feet of high-quality workspace characterized by larger, more efficient floorplates, upgraded interiors, an enhanced reception area, and a new rooftop terrace.

In addition to the upper-level workspaces, the Glasshouse Street project will introduce 15,500 square feet of retail accommodation at the basement and ground levels, boosting the pedestrian retail offering across both Regent Street and Glasshouse Street.

Sustainability Targets and Long-Term West End Vision

Environmental benchmarks for the pipeline are stringent. Construction News noted that 10 Piccadilly is targeting NABERS 5 Star, WELL Platinum, BREEAM Outstanding, WiredScore Platinum, and an Energy Performance Certificate rating of A. Across the wider development portfolio, the organisation maintains an embodied-carbon target of 400kg per square metre.

“Our ambition is to shape a destination that continues to attract world-class businesses and visitors, while strengthening the city’s future resilience. Through long-term planning and investment, we are working to deliver a West End that will thrive for generations to come.”

Kristy Lansdown, Managing Director of Development at The Crown Estate

These projects build upon a busy acquisition and development cycle for the estate. Earlier this year, the 124,000 square foot office redevelopment at One Hanover Street was announced and fully pre-let to Ares Management. That milestone followed three major initiatives launched in 2024 covering New Zealand House, 10 Spring Gardens, and 33–35 Piccadilly, which collectively added roughly 250,000 square feet of commercial space across Regent Street and St James’s.

Furthermore, the physical building upgrades align with public realm enhancement proposals designed in partnership with Westminster City Council. Those plans aim to reshape public spaces across Regent Street, Haymarket, and Piccadilly Circus, modernizing John Nash’s historic route from St James’s Park to Regent’s Park to improve overall accessibility and visitor connectivity throughout the West End.