Virgin Media O2 announces move to new “state-of-the-art” London headquarters

British Land has signed an agreement to lease 83,000 sq ft of space over seven floors to Virgin Media O2 at 3 Sheldon Square, a newly refurbished office building at Paddington Central, which will act as the telecoms company’s new headquarters.

The deal takes the building to 60 per cent let, ahead of its opening in February 2024. 3 Sheldon Square is currently undergoing a full refurbishment, significantly reducing the embodied carbon in the development through retention and reuse of the existing structure and materials.

The building will be all electric, including the installation of air source heat pumps, which will reduce operational energy demand by over 40 per cent, well ahead of British Land’s 2030 target to improve building energy intensity by 25 per cent.

In addition, new terraces, improving the façade and amenity of the building, will be installed overlooking Sheldon Square. The refurbishment will deliver a BREEAM Excellent certification and is targeting an EPC rating of A.

An extensive upgrade to the public realm at Paddington Central is also underway to enhance the landscaping across the site, while works are ongoing to comprehensively update the amphitheatre, revitalising the central part of the campus for all visitors to enjoy.

Darren Richards, head of real estate at British Land, commented: “As businesses re-evaluate their workspace requirements in the wake of the pandemic, demand is clearly moving towards high quality, sustainable space in central locations with excellent amenities.

“Virgin Media O2’s decision to consolidate its team at the newly refurbished 3 Sheldon Square reflects this trend, and underlines the appeal of Paddington Central and our London campuses to innovative businesses.”

Rodney Hogg, Director of property, facilities, fleet and energy at Virgin Media O2 commented: “By investing in a brand new, connected and state-of-the-art office space, we’re creating even better opportunities for our people to come together, work and collaborate.

“This purpose-built space, just a short train ride from our other major site in Reading, offers brilliant connectivity and impressive sustainability credentials helping us deliver for both our people and the planet.”

3 Sheldon Square is a 140,000 sq ft office building located at Paddington Central, an 11 acre London campus. Situated next to Paddington Station and the Grand Union Canal, the campus benefits from proximity to transport links including the London Underground, mainline rail, Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth Line, and to cafes, restaurants and bars.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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