Press releases

Urban&Civic sells Stansted hotel to Legal & General

The new hotel opened for trading in late July 2017 and is one of only two that are on-terminal at Stansted.

17 Oct 2017


Initial occupancy levels and achieved room rates are running above pre-opening forecasts.

The minimum consideration represents a projected yield on stabilised EBITDA three years forward of 6.75 per cent and is 15 per cent higher than the EPRA valuation of the completed asset in the interim balance sheet as at 31st March 2017.  Profit realised on actual cost is expected to be in the order of £8.5 million. Cash returned back into the business, after accounting for development project bank debt, will exceed £30.0 million.

Proceeds of the sale will be directed into the Master Development of further strategic projects in which Urban&Civic is now the market leader.  Shareholders can anticipate the early announcement of investment in new large-scale projects, consistent with the Company’s strategy to accelerate quality housing delivery in areas of high demand and population growth.

Commenting upon the sale Nigel Hugill, Chief Executive, said: "The sale of Stansted represents an obviously strong outcome for the Group but the core reason for establishing Urban&Civic was to provide new housing choices and accelerate supply through Master Development.  That involves creating environments in which people actively want to live and a delivery structure that encourages speed and quality from those housebuilders looking to expand output.  The model can be seen to be working and is directly consistent with current Government policy. We shall be going all out from here."

Tom Roberts, Head of Strategic Investment and Regeneration at LGIM Real Assets, said: “The fundamentals of this hotel speak for themselves - being the closest hotel to Stansted airport’s security gate, it offers absolute convenience to its guests. The high quality of the new development and the Hampton by Hilton brand, under which the hotel operates, were also major factors in our investment considerations. Since its opening a few months ago, the occupancy figures have been very encouraging and we strongly believe this asset will prove to be an attractive addition to our portfolio. We have seen increasing opportunities across the platform in acquiring alternative assets where we have found high-yielding properties in core strategic locations.”

LSH advised Legal & General on this transaction.

About Urban&Civic Plc

Urban&Civic plc is an established UK property development and investment company listed on the London Stock Exchange's main market (UANC), with total assets valued at over £460 million (31 March 2017).

Headquartered in London and with a network of regional offices, Urban&Civic’s team is led by Nigel Hugill, CEO, and Robin Butler, Managing Director. The Company has significant in-house expertise across site assembly, planning, project management, delivery, community engagement and sales.

Strategic land constitutes the core of Urban&Civic’s business model where, as Master Developer, it owns or has the stewardship of over 4,500 acres across five sites located close to Cambridge, Huntingdon, Newark and Rugby. These sites will deliver more than 22,000 new homes, over six million sqft of business space, and at least eleven primary and three secondary schools over the next 15 to 20 years.

Proud to be defined by the quality of its projects, Urban&Civic is distinguished by its emphasis as Master Developer on the leveraged benefits that can be delivered from Strategic Sites.  These include the creation of new jobs and enhanced skills as well as the delivery of real opportunities for local communities and stakeholders.

Further information

L&G_Olivia_Bayliss_480x480px.jpg

Olivia Bayliss

Head of Communications

Capital and LGIM Real Assets

Notes to editors

LGIMRA is a division of Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), one of Europe’s largest
institutional asset managers and a major global investor. LGIM manages £1.29 trillion1 ($1.57tn) in
assets, working with a range of global clients, including pension schemes, sovereign wealth funds, fund distributors and retail investors.

LGIM Real Assets has assets under management of £36 billion2 ($43.8bn) and is one of the largest
private markets investment managers in the UK. Investing in both debt and equity and across the
risk/return spectrum, LGIM Real Assets actively invests in and manages assets across commercial,
operational and residential property sectors, as well as infrastructure, real estate, corporate and
alternative debt.

Taking a long-term view in order to future proof our investments, LGIM Real Assets continues to lead the industry in ESG performance, considering all environmental, social and governance issues at asset level as well as portfolio level.

1LGIM internal data as at 30 June 2022. These figures include assets managed by LGIMA, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Data includes derivative positions.
2Source: LGIM Real Assets. AUM data as at 30 June 2022.

*at 13 Jan 2023

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

For professional clients only. Past performance is not a guide to the future. The value of an investment and any income taken from it is not guaranteed and can go down as well as up, you may not get back the amount you originally invested. Views expressed are of LGIM as at 12 January 2023. The Information in this document (a) is for information purposes only and we are not soliciting any action based on it, and (b) is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities or pursue a particular investment strategy; and (c) is not investment, legal, regulatory or tax advice. Legal & General Investment Management Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 02091894. Registered Office: One Coleman Street, London, EC2R 5AA. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, No. 119272.

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 management1 of which 40% is international. We have a unique and highly synergistic business model, which continues to drive strong returns. Legal & General provides powerful asset origination and management capabilities directly to clients, which also underpin our leading retirement and protection solutions. We are a leading international player in Pension Risk Transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income. Our purpose is to improve the lives of our customers and create value for our shareholders. Through inclusive capitalism, we are investing in long-term assets, such as real estate and infrastructure, that can help build a better society for the future.

1Data as at 31 December 2023.