KUALA LUMPUR: Battersea Power Station Development Co Ltd (BPSDC) sold nearly half of the residential units under Phase 3 of the £8 billion (RM42 billion) Battersea Power Station redevelopment in London in the first three weeks of its global tour, with 60% of total sales to date snapped up by London locals.

The tour saw the launch of the Battersea Power Station brand in 13 markets across the globe, with a series of events, residential sales and commercial leasing exhibitions.

The Battersea Power Station project, one of central London’s largest new developments, is owned by a consortium consisting of S P Setia Bhd, Sime Darby Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund, and is managed by United Kingdom-based BPSDC.

In a statement, Battersea Project Holding Co Ltd chairman Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin said via the global tour, the company wanted to do something different to ensure that the units reached the absolute best in class around the world for commercial leasing opportunities.

“We expect some very exciting announcements to be made in due course as the partnerships progress to see such strong residential sales, including the showcase [world-renowned architect] Gehry Partners penthouses. This demonstrates that the design-led product is really appealing to purchasers who want to come and create a home here in our Battersea community,” he added.

Gehry Partners-designed penthouses, with views of the power station, were sold in the first week of sales.

The BPSDC team hosted a total of 26 events and exhibitions in London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, Shanghai, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai, Doha and Singapore over a two-week period.

In each city, the launching events for the brand were attended by up to 500 key people  from the creative and business industries, including a number of well-known names such as actress Kate Beckinsale and musician Sting. During an event in New York it was announced that Sting had purchased a unit at the development.

Homes were sold in all the cities under the global tour, excluding New York, as only marketing was permitted, with 2-bedroom apartments being the most popular.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 19, 2014.