- Purchase of two-building plot in Southwark is third major acquisition in three months
- Site planned to include a hotel and co-living space
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 8 December 2025 – Arada has completed its third major acquisition in the UK residential market in as many months, after agreeing the purchase of a prime regeneration site in the South London borough of Southwark.
The 99-101 Newington Causeway site comprises two vacant buildings, including a 10-storey building with a basement, and was previously home to The Salvation Army UK before its move to Denmark Hill in 2023.
The site will be delivered by Arada London, part of the Arada Group, which will soon be seeking planning consent to deliver a hotel and its first co-living project in the capital.
The site is just a two-minute walk from Elephant & Castle Underground Station, providing excellent connections to Central London via the Bakerloo and Northern lines. This marks Arada London’s third development in the borough, following its projects at Devonshire Place delivering 941 best-in-class student bedrooms and 200 new on-site affordable home and Blackpool Road, where the developer is currently exploring splitting the site between affordable housing and purpose-built student accommodation.
The site is identified as a development opportunity in the New Southwark Plan. Elephant and Castle has seen substantial investment in recent years, including the redevelopment of the Shopping Centre and Elephant Park, bringing new homes, offices, and public spaces to the area.
With more than AED20 billion being invested across the town centre, the former Salvation Army headquarters offers an exciting opportunity to deliver high-quality homes, vibrant amenities and jobs that will support the area’s continued growth and make a lasting contribution to the neighbourhood’s vitality.
The acquisition follows Arada’s purchase of local developer Regal (now Arada London) in September, and the acquisition of an 80% stake in the AED12 billion Thameside West riverside development – one of Europe’s largest regeneration opportunities – in November.
Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada said: “Our continued investment in the capital reflects our firm conviction in London’s long-term strength as a global real estate market. Since entering the city, we have set a clear ambition to scale our residential pipeline, and the rapid growth to over 16,000 homes underscores the capability of the Arada London team to deliver at pace and to a high standard. Newington Causeway is a well-located site in an area benefiting from sustained regeneration, and we see significant potential to bring forward a high-quality mixed-use scheme that supports Southwark’s growth.”
Arada London’s development pipeline stands at over 16,000 homes, supporting its ambition to triple this to 30,000 units over the next three years, building on a 30-year track record in the capital’s real estate market.
Jonathan Seal, CEO of Arada London said: “The former Salvation Army headquarters presents a unique opportunity. This acquisition marks a major step for Arada London, as we kick off our third project in Southwark and make our debut in the co-living world. This acquisition demonstrates our approach to creating connected, vibrant neighbourhoods. With brand new homes and a hotel, we’re helping shape a town centre at the heart of Southwark’s transformation.”
