Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group have announced they have formed 'The Partnership', a 50:50 joint venture partnership to develop 20 Fenchurch Street.

The existing property, currently a cleared site with some ancillary retail neighbouring holdings, has been sold by Land Securities to the Partnership at a price of £90.2 million, in line with the March 2010 valuation.

Planning consent for the proposed 37 storey building was granted in October 2009. It will provide approximately 690,000 sq ft of world class space in floor plate sizes of 14,000 sq ft to 28,000 sq ft with a skygarden on the top three floors.

The Partnership will construct the project under a staged programme at an anticipated total development cost of £500m. To enable a condensed programme, construction of the substructure of the building and detailed design of the superstructure will start immediately. Completion to the ground floor level is planned for February 2012. Construction of the superstructure will follow, with completion of the project anticipated in the second quarter of 2014.

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Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group have been appointed as joint Development Managers and both are responsible for the leasing, with Land Securities taking the lead. Canary Wharf Contractors Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canary Wharf Group, has been appointed as Construction Manager.

George Iacobescu, Chief Executive Officer of Canary Wharf Group, said: "We are looking forward to this opportunity to apply our extensive experience as a developer of large, high specification and bespoke office buildings for a diverse range of clients. We are also delighted that on this occasion we will be working alongside Land Securities with its own impressive pedigree and track record. This joint venture project will provide further evidence of our approach to the development and construction of very high quality buildings in London."

(CD/KMcA)