News | By practice area

Wednesday 16th January 2002

Jon Vivian and Joanne Footitt, with assistance from tax partner, Simon Rose, all of SJ Berwin, acted on behalf of Brixton in the acquisition of a 13-acre site on the Bath Road at Heathrow. Penguin Books were the vendors (a subsidiary of Pearson plc) for whom property partner, Geoff Le Pard, assisted by Claire Whittaker of Freshfields acted.

The acquisition price was £26m with overage dependent upon suitable planning being achieved.

Brixton have purchased the site, as very much a development opportunity and will be developing the site in conjunction with Harbour Property Group Limited for whom Tony Patterson of Forsters acted. Penguin will remain on site on a leaseback basis. The transaction was concluded over a very short period immediately prior to Christmas and is Brixton's biggest deal of 2001.

The acquisition is another valuable addition to Brixton's already extensive portfolio in the immediate Heathrow area. Brixton very much see the Terminal 5 approval as being a key factor in the development potential of the area in the future.

• Jon Vivian joined SJ Berwin as a partner in the Property Department in 2001. He has extensive experience on a wide range of commercial property matters, particularly in the industrial retail and office markets.
• Jon has acted on a number of large portfolio transactions.