March 28, 2024

Planning permission granted for major Bromley Park office development

The Commercial Park Group – a partnership between property developer John Baker and Sir Robert McAlpine – has been granted planning permission by The London Borough of Bromley for new 140,000 sq ft office buildings at Bromley Park. The permission will see the development of a new highly innovative and smart office park in the town that will help to shape the future of work and business in south-east England. 

Following successful planning applications for Gatwick Park in Crawley and Haywards Park in Haywards Heath, The Commercial Park Group now has permission across its three business hubs to develop a portfolio of 2m sq ft of office space with an estimated value of £2bn. As the first major office development in Bromley town centre in over 20 years, Bromley Park will offer hi-tech, intuitive, green and comfortable office space for progressive, modern companies who are looking for long-term leases. 

In-keeping with The Commercial Park Group’s philosophy of ‘Live Better, Work Better’, Bromley Park is designed to support health, wellbeing and productivity, with the office to incorporate green terraces and communal garden features to allow employees to experience nature and tranquillity during their working day. The Commercial Park Group is working with Urban Infill Architects to create these workspaces of tomorrow. 

Now approved by Bromley Council, the plans for Bromley Park include a number of facilities, including a gym, cycle spaces and car parking, to enable employees to make the most of living and working in modern, vibrant Bromley. 

John Baker, Chairman of The Commercial Park Group, commented: “We are delighted to have been granted planning permission for Bromley Park after the great success we’ve had progressing our Gatwick Park and Haywards Park schemes. In common with many industry commentators, we believe Bromley is an extremely attractive location for major companies, and we can now provide the kind of modern, green, hi-tech and well-connected office space that they are looking for. 

“Times have changed. Workers want a more flexible lifestyle outside London – they would enjoy the opportunity to work closer to home. Our vision is to create a series of business destinations that offer community, conviviality and convenience. 

“Bromley has a growing professional workforce that is well-connected. It is a prime destination for major companies to base their HQs. But there’s no office space. That is why The Commercial Park Group aims to provide modern, high-quality offices for major companies in attractive locations, while also giving workers a chance to improve their work-life balance.”

Ian Dollamore, the founder and owner of Urban Infill Architects, added: “We’re focused on designing schemes that prioritise employee well-being. Part of that is simply about location: targeting strong regional markets like Bromley and allowing local workers the chance to work in greener environments and be closer to their families. These are not your typical modern offices. They will be amenity rich with gyms, restaurants and communal spaces at their heart that improve the experience of coming to and spending time at work. They will also be green office spaces that provide healthy, natural environments that are welcoming, relaxing and optimise productivity.”

Bromley Park is perfectly located for international businesses and employees wanting to be close to London, with rush-hour trains from Bromley South to London Victoria taking only 15 minutes. Just 17 minutes’ drive from London Biggin Hill Airport, Bromley Park is merely 40 minutes from London City Airport and 45 minutes from London Gatwick Airport. 

Bromley has been described as “a new world powerhouse” by the Evening Standard, with the Office for National Statistics estimating in 2019 that the borough’s annual output was £9.3bn. Bromley was also number one on CACI’s list of London’s top office locations in 2019, based on a number of criteria, including workforce numbers and demographics, accessibility, the quality of the retail and catering offer, and wi-fi connectivity.