£12.1m PaddingtonCentral termination agreement

16th August 2013

Development Securities signs £12.1 million agreement with Aviva Investors and British Land to terminate its development management contract at PaddingtonCentral

Further to the announcement regarding British Land's acquisition of Aviva Investors' interests at PaddingtonCentral, Development Securities today announces that it has signed an agreement with both parties to terminate its role as development manager on the scheme, releasing a compensation payment of £7.1 million. This payment together with the return of Development Securities' £5.0 million of working capital will equal a total payment of £12.1 million to the Company this month.

Development Securities, in conjunction with Aviva Investors as funding partner, commenced work at PaddingtonCentral in 1998 to bring forward the comprehensive regeneration of an 11-acre derelict goods yard adjacent to Paddington station. In total Development Securities has developed 1.2 million sq. ft. comprising over 850,000 sq. ft. of prime office space, 100,000 sq. ft. of retail and leisure space, 200 residential apartments, a 206-bed Novotel hotel as well as extensive public realm. PaddingtonCentral is now firmly established within the West End market as a sought-after business destination, attracting a number of blue chip tenants including Visa, Kingfisher, Astra Zeneca and Vodafone.

Michael Marx, Chief Executive, Development Securities PLC: "In recent years, we have established a strong pipeline of developments to realise gains across our development and trading portfolio over the coming years. In addition, we have made further good progress this year to release cash from our legacy assets over the near term. Whilst we would have liked to have developed the final two buildings at PaddingtonCentral, the cash returned, including a not insignificant compensation payment to Development Securities, will further strengthen our balance sheet."

For further information, please contact:

Michael Marx/Lucy Grimble, Development Securities 020 7828 4777