This Week's London Deal Sheet

Software giant Mozilla, the creator of the Firefox browser, relocated from its Covent Garden offices to 3,200 SF at Metal Box Factory in Southwark. The company joins 150 other businesses (including Moonpig and Joseph Joseph) at the recently redeveloped Workspace-owned property.

Mozilla’s 30 employees will make the move to 30 Great Guilford St. The 150k SF building offers 24-hour security and access, meeting rooms, a café, staffed reception and cycle racks.

The building is one of only seven in the UK to receive the Wired Certified Platinum certification by WiredScore, guaranteeing high-quality connectivity and digital infrastructure.

EXECS

John Grimes joined Hammerson as head of development leasing. He was previously retail leasing director at Land Securities.

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Alys Holland will join Colliers International’s South East offices as associate director in September.

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Edward Cooke was appointed chief executive of The British Council of Shopping Centres.

LEASING

Innovating Bites Limited, the UK distributor of Twinkies, Marshmallows and other American goodies, has taken a seven-year lease at Schroder UK Real Estate Fund’s 103k SF Chiltern Park in Bedfordshire.

SALES

CBRE Global Investors bought Graviton Park, Belvedere, from Wrenbridge Land for £15.1M. Wrenbridge Land acquired the site for £2.13M in November 2014, building out three units comprising 108k SF of industrial space. 

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St. Modwen sold a new 53k SF spec warehouse at Centurion Park logistics and distribution hub in Tamworth to Limes Developments for over £5.1M.

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LaSalle Investment Management acquired Intu Bromley, a 464k SF south London shopping centre, on behalf of a North American client. The company will pay £240M. Intu and Aviva appointed Cushman & Wakefield to sell the mall, which is jointly owned by the London Borough of Bromley.

DEVELOPMENTS

Ealing Council approved a plan for a residential-led redevelopment of an industrial site in the Old Oak Opportunity Area (shown). The existing buildings will be demolished and 578 new homes will be built, along with retail, office and community facilities such as a health centre and a crèche.

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Kajima Properties was granted planning for a landmark new office and retail development at 77 Coleman St.

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Willmott Dixon will build the £15M Littlehampton Leisure Centre. The facility will feature an eight-lane, 25 metre swimming pool, a learner pool, a gym, dance and cycling studios, a sports hall and a café. Construction is set to start in 2017.