Dar Group secures planning permission for 'landmark' 185,000 sq ft HQ in Holborn

Dar Group, the international consultancy, is set to build a new 185,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme at 150 Holborn in Camden, London.

The nine-storey HQ, which has full planning permission, will replace a 1980’s office block and incorporate ground floor retail and an adjacent residential block comprising 13 apartments.

The building has been designed to bring a number of the Dar Group companies together under the same roof, including Dar, Perkins + Will, Currie & Brown, Elementa, IPA Advisory, Penspen and Maffeis.

Andrew Loudon, UK managing director for Dar Group, said: “Our new HQ in Holborn is a demonstration of commitment to the UK by Dar. We are delighted to be developing our premises in this dynamic, exciting and developing area of London.

“We view London and the UK as a key area of our business in supporting our global clients and are actively pursuing a number of opportunities to further grow our business.

“In addition to growing our business in the UK, we will be focusing on creating local employment opportunities and engaging with the local community to encourage awareness of design and engineering through educational collaboration.”

Perkins + Will, the architect and designer of the building, is targeting a range of sustainability measures for the development, including BREEAM Excellent, LEED Platinum, and SKA Gold.

The architect firm said the design will “connect and contextually link 150 Holborn to its surroundings, whilst providing the building with its own distinctive identity so that it acts as a landmark for the burgeoning ‘midtown’ neighbourhood.”

On the inside, the building will feature a central entrance lobby, which includes a street facing café, exhibition and reception space, an atrium with feature stair, and sweeping roof pavilion with roof gardens.

John Drew of Perkins + Will added: “150 Holborn will act as a significant landmark for Camden and will push the boundaries of sustainable development and design. We have worked closely with the London Borough of Camden to ensure that the building fits with the surrounding area, whilst supporting Holborn’s future development and prosperity with a distinctive new design at its heart.

“We are proud to be investing in the future of Camden, an area that is ripe for growth and presents significant opportunity for employment, living and leisure.”