Abu Dhabi to Help Build 1,000 Apartments in London

State-owned Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Co. has formed a venture with U.K. developer Mount Anvil Group Ltd. to build apartment towers next to the ExCel London conference venue, according to two people with knowledge of the plan.
The companies could develop about 1,000 homes on land next to the exhibition center, the people said, asking not to be identified because the agreement isn’t yet public. The venture hasn’t yet applied for approval to build on the land, which is currently used for parked vehicles, the people said.
A spokeswoman for ExCel London referred requests for comment to Mount Anvil. A spokeswoman for Mount Anvil didn’t respond to calls and emails seeking comments.
Developers have been focusing on London’s outer districts, where cheaper prices mean potential purchasers can benefit from government assistance to buy homes. Construction began on about 7,000 homes in the U.K. capital during the second quarter, a 42 percent increase from a year earlier, according to a report by Molior London seen by Bloomberg News.
ADNEC bought ExCel, London’s largest events space, in 2008 for 318 million pounds ($415 million). The venue, which hosted multiple events at the 2012 Olympic Games, is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) east of the Canary Wharf financial district.