Berkeley and Long Harbour Complete 370-Home Draper Build-to-Rent Scheme in Colindale

Berkeley and Long Harbour, an investment manager specializing in operational real estate, have reached practical completion at The Draper, a 370-home build-to-rent scheme totaling 261,802 square feet in Colindale, North West London, the companies announced.

The Draper is the last of the units to be handed over by Berkeley at Beaufort Park, the community the developer has delivered over the past 24 years. The asset is part of the Long Harbour Multifamily Joint Venture 2.

The Draper at Beaufort Park: Scheme Details

The Draper is the final phase at Beaufort Park, which was delivered across three phases and is the final building within the wider Berkeley Group masterplan. Based on the disclosed totals, the homes average approximately 708 square feet each.

Residents have access to a gym, coffee shop, co-working spaces, guest suites and a roof terrace, as well as an on-site swimming pool. Other amenity space includes lounges and private dining areas, with about 10,000 square feet of ground-floor amenity space. Way of Life, a management platform, will manage the amenities. Long Harbour appointed Madrid-based designer Aaron David Clarke to lead delivery of the scheme and the interiors.

Long Harbour agreed a forward purchase of the 370 new-build-to-rent homes, together with commercial and amenity space, in September 2023. The homes were handed over in multiple tranches: an earlier phase comprised 154 homes across two blocks, while the final phase comprised 142 homes, delivered alongside the amenity spaces. Completion of the amenity spaces was recorded in May 2026.

Beaufort Park Masterplan and Berkeley's 24-Year Regeneration

The Draper forms part of the Beaufort Park masterplan, which covers 25 acres and more than 3,000 homes, alongside roughly 90,000 square feet of commercial space. The commercial offer includes a nursery, pub, restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as landscaped green spaces and walking and cycling routes.

Community investment already in place includes a new neighborhood hub, a new youth zone in Montrose Playing Field, and the relocation of the library and the centre of independent living. Berkeley said the community is home to more than 8,000 residents. Berkeley also worked with Origin Housing to deliver affordable homes at the development.

Executives Comment on Completion

Rebecca Taylor, Managing Director of Multifamily at Long Harbour, said: "Reaching practical completion at The Draper is a proud moment for the team and reflects the strength of our long-standing partnership with Berkeley. This project has never just been about buildings, it is a genuine community that has grown to welcome families and long term residents alongside the young professionals who first moved in. That is exactly what the rental sector should be delivering: quality homes that people are proud to call home, not just for a short tenancy but for years to come. We are excited to welcome residents into The Draper to become part of that story."

Piers Clansford, Chief Operating Officer at Berkeley, said: "Reaching practical completion of the final phase at Beaufort Park marks the completion of an almost 25-year project and underscores Berkeley's commitment to large-scale brownfield regeneration. Working in partnership with Long Harbour, as well as with Origin Housing to deliver high quality and affordable homes, has enabled us to accelerate the delivery of much needed housing for London and bring forward a thriving community that is already home to more than 8,000 residents and offers a diverse range of amenities, green parkland and shared spaces to foster a real pride of place."

UK Build-to-Rent Market Context

The completion comes as UK rental supply remains constrained. Rental listings were 4% higher year over year in March 2026, but available supply remained nearly 25% below the pre-pandemic average.

Investment conditions in the build-to-rent sector have been selective. About £679 million was invested in UK build-to-rent during the first quarter of 2026 across 12 transactions, the slowest first quarter since 2018, with operational stock accounting for 61% of investment. Knight Frank expected just over 24,000 new build-to-rent homes to complete across the UK in 2026, including about 15,000 multifamily units and roughly 1,000 co-living homes. Higher gilt yields and expectations that interest rates could remain restrictive have raised the cost of capital and pressured development viability.

Against that backdrop, The Draper adds a completed, amenity-equipped rental building to the Colindale submarket and closes out the Beaufort Park program for Berkeley, while extending Long Harbour's holdings in operational residential real estate.

Sources

• Long Harbour: Long Harbour and Berkeley celebrate practical completion of The Draper at Beaufort Park, Colindale