The River Thames will flow once more into a long-disused London wharf with the completion of a 118-home development that will see the dockside restored.
Ransome’s Wharf in Battersea is to be launched this weekend. It is one of the first projects to come to fruition since developer London Square was bought by Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties in 2023 and completes a long-disjointed section of the riverside.
Ransome’s Dock, as it was known previously, was linked to the 19th century ice trade, with underground wells built to store ice shipped directly from Norway, before an ice-making factory was constructed in the 1920s.
Alongside the warehouse-style homes, priced from £1.1 million ($1.5 million) for one-bedroom apartments to about £5 million for penthouses, the development includes restaurants, cafes and leisure facilities, as well as a new public walkway alongside the river. The dock has also been restored, having been blocked up decades ago.
London Square expects to achieve a total gross development value of about £250 million.
The 6,475 square metre development south of Chelsea, between Albert and Battersea bridges, sits on the site of the former Ransome & Co engineering works. The area is now part of Battersea’s "creative quarter", which is home to international architecture firm Foster + Partners, the Royal College of Art and the late Vivienne Westwood’s atelier.
It is London Square’s first collaboration with design studio Echlin, which was responsible for the interior architecture, while London-based architectural practice Fourfoursixsix was commissioned to develop the five buildings in keeping with the area’s industrial heritage.
London Square founder and chief executive Adam Lawrence told The National that the project fit with Aldar’s strategy of targeting high-quality sites in “aspirational” locations. “It honours the site’s past while introducing a new era of refined contemporary living on the Thames,” he said. “We are bringing the dock back to life. It hasn't been operational for many years, so this is a gem within a quintessential Battersea residential enclave that has benefitted from a lot of gentrification.”
He said the homes were designed for owner-occupiers, rather than investors, so were larger than usual. They are meant people who will live in and enjoy the area, he added.
Aldar’s arrival offered London Square greater sophistication and boosted the already thriving brand, he said. “I liken it to the fact that we built this winning race car with London Square. We just needed to find a fuel partner.”
As well as in the UK, the development will be promoted in the UAE, as part of Aldar’s strategic vision to drive cross-selling. “London is a global city," Mr Lawrence said. "Properties in Abu Dhabi are being sold in London and properties in London are being sold in Abu Dhabi. That is a big part of the strategy.”
He added that, despite stagnation in London’s super prime market over the past decade or so, there was significant interest at this level, where two-bedroom homes often cost about £2 million.
He said that although 2025 had been a tough year for the property market, things “feel brighter” in 2026. London Square has acquired nearly 20 sites since the start of 2024 and is to launch 11 to market this year. Ransome’s Wharf will be swiftly followed by Wimbledon Bridge House and Westminster Tower.
