Since November 2024, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, officially known as the Government Pension Fund of Norway and managed by Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), has made significant inroads into London’s West End real estate market, ending a six-year hiatus from major new investments in the British capital. These purchases have amounted to nearly £1 billion, marking one of the fund’s most active periods in London since 2018, according to Jayesh Patel, NBIM’s head of UK real estate.

This renewed activity reflects a strategic decision after years of market instability and challenges around pricing. Mr Patel explained that patience and a long-term, financially driven perspective were essential in navigating the complex property landscape. “Sometimes that takes years before there is a potential transaction,” he noted. The Norwegian fund’s commitment to partnering with owners who share a similar long-term outlook has been central to these deals.

Among the key transactions is an increased stake in the Pollen Estate in Mayfair, where NBIM raised its share to 68% by acquiring an additional 10% interest for £81 million, valuing the estate at £794 million. This was followed by a £306 million investment in a joint venture with Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster’s property company, securing a 25% stake in a diverse Mayfair portfolio valued at around £1.2 billion. Grosvenor continues to control and manage this mix of office, retail, and residential properties, which includes 175 buildings on prime streets such as Mount Street and Grosvenor Street.

Perhaps most headline-grabbing was NBIM’s £570 million acquisition of a 25% stake in Shaftesbury Capital’s Covent Garden portfolio, valued at £2.7 billion. This estate, comprising over 220 buildings around the Piazza, Market Buildings, and Seven Dials, has benefited from a post-pandemic surge in tourism and rising rental rates. Shaftesbury retains 75% ownership and management control, with the capital injection poised to bolster the company’s expansion plans within Covent Garden and Soho. The portfolio generates a healthy £104 million in annual income at a yield of 3.6%, underscoring the strength NBIM sees in the West End’s commercial property sector.

NBIM’s real estate portfolio extends beyond these London landmarks. The fund, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds with assets worth approximately £1.3 trillion as of March 2025, holds nearly 2% of its investments in unlisted real estate globally. About half of these real estate investments are in the US, with the UK accounting for a fifth. The fund has diversified within the UK by adding logistics facilities, a life sciences development in Cambridge, and full ownership of Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre, acquired last summer after purchasing the remaining 50% stake from British Land for £360 million and assuming its £426 million debt. Despite the decline in valuation of Meadowhall to £720 million from £1.5 billion in 2012, Patel remains cautious but optimistic about retail and office sectors, emphasising a selective approach focused on properties with lasting fundamentals.

London continues to be a primary focus given its unique ability to attract both human and financial capital, as well as the scale of opportunities available. Supporting this focus is the appointment of NBIM’s new global head of real estate, Alex Knapp, who has relocated from New York to London, signifying the city’s centrality to the fund’s long-term strategy.

While government policies aimed at easing investment processes are considered, Patel emphasized that investment decisions hinge primarily on specific opportunities rather than broader foreign direct investment initiatives. The Norwegian fund’s approach reflects a cautious yet committed re-engagement with London’s prime property market, signalling confidence in the city’s resilience and growth prospects amid evolving economic conditions.

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Source: Noah Wire Services