Sheppard Robson wins approval for 500 homes at Brent’s Grand Union
Three blocks rising to 29 storeys will form the latest phase of Berkeley’s redevelopment of the former Northfields Industrial Estate.
By Architecture desk · 15 Oct 2026 · Brent, London
Sheppard Robson has secured planning approval for 500 private homes in three high-rise blocks at Berkeley’s Grand Union development in Brent, north-west London.
The buildings will rise to a maximum of 29 storeys and form the latest approved phase of the developer’s transformation of the former Northfields Industrial Estate into a canalside neighbourhood.
The decision follows approval earlier in 2026 for 168 social rent homes on a neighbouring plot. Those homes are separate from the 500 private homes covered by the latest permission.
Berkeley’s wider Grand Union scheme is set to deliver around 3,350 homes when complete. Around 1,000 homes have already been completed as part of the redevelopment, which will also include commercial, retail, leisure and community spaces.
The masterplan has been designed to reflect both the site’s industrial past and its proximity to the Grand Union Canal and the River Brent. These influences also inform the architectural treatment of the latest residential phase.
Sheppard Robson’s proposals aim to link green spaces along the canal with the residential centre of the development. The three towers will be faced in light-coloured brick, with industrial-inspired detailing.
The design includes pale green precast concrete and green metal balconies, alongside a curved park-front pavilion. These elements form part of the architectural approach for the newly approved phase within the wider canalside masterplan.
The combination of brick façades, coloured concrete and metal balconies sets out the material palette for the three blocks, while the pavilion introduces a curved form at the park frontage.
Sheppard Robson is also working with Berkeley to deliver the second and third phases of the Grand Union masterplan. Its involvement therefore extends beyond the latest approval for the three residential towers.
The newly approved private housing and the neighbouring social rent permission sit within a broader mixed-use redevelopment where housing delivery is already under way.