Restructuring of Rent Roll

Great Portland Estates PLC 03 April 2003 3 April 2003 Great Portland restructures 7% of rent roll to reduce void risk Great Portland Estates P.L.C. ('GPE') announces today three lease restructuring transactions across its portfolio affecting almost 7% of its existing rent roll. In the City, GPE has successfully retained its largest single occupier, Willis Group, having completed the early renewal of its lease at 1 Camomile Street, London EC3. Willis' old lease was due to expire in September 2004. The new lease on the 75,695 sq. ft. mid 1980's office building is for a term expiring on 24th March 2011 at a rent of £2.659 million per annum (£35.13 per sq. ft.). The tenant has taken the building in its existing unrefurbished state and has been granted a rent free period totalling 33 months. The tenant will be carrying out an extensive internal refurbishment to bring the office space up to a modern standard. The transaction aligns the income expiry profile from the building with GPE's adjoining 42,500 sq. ft. holding at 80 Bishopsgate (let to Nordea Bank until March 2011). The company is working up plans with architects Kohn Pedersen Fox for a major redevelopment of the combined site, immediately to the south of the proposed Heron Tower, on expiry of the occupational leases in 2011. 93% of the income is now secured until March 2011 with the majority of the remaining 7% expiring between 2004 and 2007. In Covent Garden, GPE has regeared four leases over 22,281 sq. ft. held by CSS Stellar Management Limited, accounting for approximately 63% of the space within the building. Two of the tenant's leases (half the space) expired last month, and the remainder in mid 2015 at an aggregate rent of £853,500 per annum. The tenant has taken four new ten year leases with 6 months rent free at an aggregate rent of £845,925 per annum, reflecting £38 per sq. ft. In Mayfair, GPE has completed an early lease renewal of 18,345 sq. ft. at 14 Hanover Square to Harbottle & Lewis. The firm of solicitors, who occupy all of the office space, have taken a new 14 year lease with a break at the 10th year, at an annual rent of £530,000 (equating to £30.75 per sq. ft. on the office space) with 10 months rent free. The accommodation is basic and GPE have paid Harbottle & Lewis £700,000 as a contribution to refurbishment works. Toby Courtauld, GPE Chief Executive, said: 'Over the last 12 months we have been working hard in a difficult market to keep our voids down in order to preserve rental income and protect valuations. Our current void level is approximately 3% against a market average in central London of approximately 10%. Each of these transactions has enabled us to avoid the very real prospect of facing lengthy voids and significant capital expenditure in a depressed leasing market. In the City, we have consolidated our medium term development ambitions in one of the strongest locations in the square mile whilst maintaining occupancy levels at almost 100%'. Contact: GPE Toby Courtauld - Chief Executive 020 7580 3040 Rob Noel - Property Director 020 7580 3040 Finsbury Group Ed Orlebar 020 7251 3801 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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