The Portfolio Club plans 146-room hotel amid £76.5m property acquisition

The Portfolio Club has announced it plans to develop a 146-room hotel after it exchanged contracts to acquire the Wellington block in Covent Garden from Capital and Counties Properties for £76m.

The Portfolio Club, a joint venture between APG and London Central Portfolio was launched last year to create a new lifestyle hospitality brand in prime central London locations.

The Wellington block is a freehold island site located on the south east corner of Covent Garden comprising six separate properties and has recently received planning consent to develop a 146-room hotel with retail and restaurant space.

The firm said the new hotel development will be another “major addition” to Covent Garden which is established as a leading global destination.

The Wellington block comprises 25-31 Wellington Street, 23 Wellington Street, 15 Exeter Street, 12 and 14 Burleigh Street and Burleigh House, currently providing approximately 66,000 square feet of lettable space increasing to over 100,000 square feet following completion of the consented hotel.

Naomi Heaton, chief executive of The Portfolio Club, said: “We are delighted to have secured the Wellington block, a unique combination of architecturally beautiful buildings. Covent Garden, under Capco’s stewardship, is an increasingly thriving and sought after location with huge appeal to both the domestic and international market.

“This will be a cornerstone of our new lifestyle brand of Residents’ Clubs to be rolled out in prime central London neighbourhoods and internationally, following the acquisition last year of the Harrington Hall Hotel in South Kensington by the joint venture partnership between LCP and APG.”

Robert-Jan Foortse, head of European Property Investments at APG, said: “APG is delighted to further broaden The Portfolio Club investment programme with the acquisition of the Wellington block in Covent Garden.

“This represents an attractive opportunity to gain access to a high quality property in an unrivalled location and to add value through redevelopment and innovation.”

He added: “We intend to create a new type of accommodation which is cutting edge in terms of place-making, whilst promoting the highest standards in environmental and social responsibility.

“Once completed, the Wellington block will be the hub of our new brand of flexible stay, all-suite hotels. This is a vision we share with our partner, LCP, who will be leading the project on our joint behalf.”