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Legal & General’s Star House, Maidenhead, granted planning permission
Set to become one of the greenest buildings in the Thames Valley
28 Jul 2021
LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General) has been granted planning permission from the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead for the comprehensive refurbishment and development of the 112,000 sq ft Star House office building in Maidenhead town centre.
Plans for the four-storey building, which sits on a prominent 1.4-acre site next to the train station at the gateway to the town centre, will see it improve the quality and usability of the site and create a more attractive and sustainable office building. Legal & General is targeting an EPC A and BREEAM Excellent rating.
The refurbishment includes:
- Creating a best-in-class workspace and flexible office accommodation with internal atrium spaces and adding three rooftop pavilions and roof terraces
- Upgrading and updating the building’s appearance with new glazing whilst retaining much of the existing exterior stone to produce a modern, sustainable and energy efficient façade
- Installing industry leading low energy technology including over 5,000 sq ft of rooftop solar panels and Air Source Heat Pump technology to achieve an expected 39% reduction in the building’s carbon emissions. Over 11,000 sq ft of biodiverse terracing and roofs will also be added
- Creating a public café on King Street and improvements to public spaces on the southern side of the building to deliver a new space with outdoor seating and landscaping
- Sustainable transport improvements including the addition of 18 electric car charging spaces, secure cycle storage for 153 cycles and high-quality showers, changing rooms, lockers and airing cupboards
- Adding a two-storey extension on the south side of the building to create a new entrance lobby and shared work area. Additional floor layout efficiencies will add a total of 21,500 sq ft to the existing building.
The refurbishment of Star House forms part of L&G’s ongoing commitment to futureproof its assets, providing a superior occupier experience and strong ESG credentials. It is estimated that construction, occupation, and management of the building will support up to 3,000 full time jobs.
Construction is set start on site in Q4 2021, with completion scheduled for Q1 2023. The agents are Bray Fox Smith and Knight Frank.
Simon Wilkes, Head of Development, LGIM Real Assets: "We’re delighted to have received unanimous planning approval for Star House; it’s truly testament to the quality and ambition of our proposals.At LGIM Real Assets, we remain committed to delivering optimum working environments for our occupiers through long-term and proactive investment in our assets. We are modernising the building through a comprehensive low carbon and low energy sustainable refurbishment, with wellbeing and occupier satisfaction at the heart of the scheme.
The repositioned building will deliver enhanced ESG credentials both in construction and in use, and is set to become one of the greenest buildings in the Thames Valley. It’s also estimated that £111 million in social value will be generated over the development lifecycle – bringing significant social and economic benefits to the wider community.
Situated within the heart of Maidenhead, the design led redevelopment will help to drive health, satisfaction and wellbeing, as well as accelerate LGIM Real Assets wider efforts concerning sustainability; this will future proof the asset for years to come."
Further information
Jessye Brandon
Senior PR Executive
LGIM Real Assets
T: 07584498775
Notes to editors
Established in 1836, Legal & General is one of the UK’s leading financial services groups and a major global investor, with £1.2 trillion in total assets under management (as at FY23) of which c40% (circa £0.5 trillion) is international.
We have a highly synergistic business model, which continues to drive strong returns. We are a leading international player in Institutional Retirement, in Retail Savings and Protection, and in both public and private markets through our Asset Management division. Across the Group, we are committed to responsible investing and dedicated to serving the long-term savings and investment needs of customers and society.
As at 7 June 2024, we estimate the Group’s Solvency II coverage ratio to be 224%.
As at 11 June 2024, Legal & General has a market capitalisation of £14.6 billion.
LGIM is one of Europe’s largest asset managers and a major global investor, with total assets under management of £1.2 trillion1 ($1.5tn, €1.3tn, CHF 1.2tn). We work with a wide range of global clients, including pension schemes, sovereign wealth funds, fund distributors and retail investors.
For more than 50 years, we have built our business through understanding what matters most to our clients and transforming this insight into valuable, accessible investment products and solutions. We provide investment expertise across the full spectrum of asset classes including fixed income, equities, commercial property, and cash. Our capabilities range from index-tracking and active strategies to liquidity management and liability-based risk management solutions.
1Data as at 31 December 2023. Data combines assets under management by LGIM in the UK, LGIMA in the US and LGIM Asia in Hong Kong. Assets under management include securities and derivatives positions.