Group looking to overhaul Docklands estate in wake of changing working practices

Five firms are understood to have made it onto a project management framework put together by Canary Wharf Group as part of its plan to overhaul its estate.

The group has drawn up several frameworks of firms across a range of disciplines including cost consultants which was awarded over the summer.

Building understands that T&T, Gardiner & Theobald, Opera, Stace and M3 Consulting have all made it on to the project management framework with several big names, including Aecom and RLB, missing out.

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Canary Wharf bosses want the estate to become known for a variety of uses

Canary Wharf, which has been approached for comment, is looking at moving away from a focus on offices at the Docklands estate and broadening the mix of tenants in the wake of post-pandemic working practices and higher borrowing costs.

Over the summer, it appointed T&T Alinea, Mace, Atkins and Exigere to the cost consultants framework with the other frameworks including structures and M&E

Canary Wharf’s non-executive chairman, former Legal & General chief executive Sir Nigel Wilson, has said he wants the estate to become known for all types of uses – not just offices.

He said: “Canary Wharf is becoming a city within a city with approximately 20 million square feet of vibrant space across offices, housing, retail and leisure.”

Work has begun on a 17-storey life sciences tower being masterminded by specialist developer Kadans and designed by KPF.

Others working on the scheme include QS Turner & Townsend Alinea, M&E consultant Buro Happold, landscape architect Gillespies and planning consultant Quod. Concrete frame contractor is Kilnbridge.

KPF also won the architectural competition over the summer to reimagine the 45-storey HSBC building at 8 Canada Square which the banking giant is planning to move out of by 2027.

The Qatar Investment Authority, which along with Multiplex owner Brookfield co-owns the estate, said construction work will formally begin once HSBC’s lease expires in three years’ time.

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