Peninsula Square at Greenwich Peninsula opens to the public today (14 June 2007).  This contemporary new square for London, with dramatic water features, longitude lines marking the Greenwich Meridian and a stage and ‘video’ wall, will host special events, festivals and performances.

The Square also features landmark stainless steel sculpture The Peninsula Spire, a growing “green” wall and a musical story wall with changing exhibitions. Patterns engraved in the granite paving tell the story of Greenwich Meridian, and geysers set in the paving bubble and mist and animate the square with soaring columns of water. Vibrant lighting accentuates the Square’s exciting architecture at night.

Peninsula Square is at the heart of Greenwich Peninsula, which will be a thriving new riverside community for London and the gateway to Peninsula Central, a new business district for the capital. The Square is adjacent to The O2, Europe’s newest entertainment destination.

Spokesperson for Greenwich Peninsula Nigel Hugill, Chairman of Lend Lease Europe, said:

"Peninsula Square will become one of the most recognised squares in London. It will be a place where people can congregate, and will create a memorable first impression for visitors to Greenwich Peninsula.

“The opening of the Square anticipates the launch later this month of the hugely impressive O2."

“The initial £15 million investment in the Square underlines our commitment to Greenwich Peninsula as a dynamic place where Londoners can live, learn, work and play."

“Lend Lease, together with our partners Quintain, have instigated five residential projects expected to commence over the next twelve months.  Construction will run alongside that for Ravensbourne College, which will relocate into a Foreign Office Architects' designed building during 2009.   In addition, discussions on early pre-lettings to commercial office tenants are now quite far advanced.

“After so much effort from so many people, it is great to see Greenwich Peninsula on such a roll."

Peninsula Square is the focal point of one of the UK’s largest single regeneration schemes by Lend Lease and Quintain Estates and Development PLC, working with English Partnerships, the Government’s regeneration agency. Entertainment in the Square will be managed by AEG Europe, the US entertainment and sports organisation responsible for The O2.

ENDS

For media information and images, contact: Marion Hardman or Paul Donlon at Four Communications on 0870 444 4568 or email: gp@fourcommunications.com

Notes to Editors

About Greenwich Peninsula 
Over the next 15 years, the area will be transformed into a thriving new riverside community. Planning permission was issued in 2004 and will see the delivery of 10,000 new homes in distinct residential neighbourhoods (including 38% affordable housing), the creation of 24,000 long-term job opportunities within a central business district as well as shops, schools, community facilities and landscaped open spaces. Pedestrians and cyclists will have priority over the car and a relaxing, safe environment will be promoted. 

The £5bn comprehensive regeneration of 80 hectares of Greenwich Peninsula is being led by Lend Lease and Quintain Estates and Development PLC, who have entered into a long term joint venture with English Partnerships.
 
This regeneration of 190 acres of Greenwich Peninsula is being led by Lend Lease and Quintain Estates and Development PLC, working together with English Partnerships.

About Lend Lease 
Founded in Australia in the 1950's and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, Lend Lease is a leading real estate specialist, which creates, enhances and manages real estate assets around the world. 
 
In the UK its business is focused primarily on the delivery of large scale, retail led, mixed use schemes which lead to the regeneration of town centre and major urban sites.

 Lend Lease provides cohesive in-house solutions for mixed-use developments, from planning and consultation, to development, funding, construction and asset management. In addition,Crosby Lend Lease, the group's residential development business can deliver affordable and private homes as part of integrated retail, commercial and residential developments.

About Quintain Estates and Development PLC
Quintain operates through three business segments - fund management, investment and urban regeneration. In addition to the Greenwich Peninsula development, Quintain has a c14m sq ft landbank of projects, of which c7m sq ft are consented. Quintain is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a FTSE 250 company.

About English Partnerships and the wider Peninsula
English Partnerships is the government’s national regeneration agency whose aim is to deliver high quality, sustainable growth in England. Since purchasing the 300 acre Greenwich Peninsula development site in 1997- one of the largest in London and one of Europe’s biggest regeneration projects - English Partnerships has invested over £225m in remediation and servicing, landscaping, enhancing the transport network and masterplanning the development.

English Partnerships’ work on the Peninsula has included preparatory works for the Millennium Exhibition, held in the Millennium Dome, and finding a long-term use for the Dome. Greenwich Peninsula is also home to the first Millennium Community - Greenwich Millennium Village - a sustainable, mixed-use community being developed to the south of Greenwich Peninsula that includes social, retail and leisure facilities.

About AEG Europe
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.   It owns or operates some of the world’s best arenas and theatres and numerous sports franchises as well as a collection of companies dedicated to producing, promoting and presenting world-class live entertainment.

In May 2005, AEG announced that it had joined forces with O2 to help transform the former Millennium Dome and the surrounding area into the UK’s most exciting and technically advanced music, sport and entertainment destination. It has been renamed The O2 and the opening season begins on 24 June.

Greenwich Peninsula - key statistics
Within the next 15 years around 25,000 people will be living in Greenwich Peninsula and 24,000 people will work there. Key facts at a glance:

• 10,000 new homes with 3,800 for key workers and people on low incomes
• 24,000 jobs created, plus an additional 5,000 jobs in construction
• A new business district for London - 3.5 million ft² of employment and office space - 343,600 m2
• The O2 -The largest indoor arena in London with a street of entertainment venues, bars, cafes and restaurants all under the  roof of the former millennium dome
• 150 new shops and restaurants - 360,000 ft² of retail provision - 33,750 m2
• extensive community and leisure facilities
• All buildings in will be designed and built to the highest current environmental standards (ie. EcoHomes Excellent and BREEAM)
• It will be London’s first residential ‘Low Emissions Zone’, aimed at controlling car emissions (all private cars will need to be Euro-4 compliant by 2009)
• 48 acres of new and improved open spaces
• The same amount of riverfront as Waterloo to London Bridge - the largest of any single new development in London
• Excellent transport links put residents and workers just one stop from Canary Wharf, four stops from London Bridge and 20 minutes from the West End, and a regular turn and go 15 minutes service at QE II Pier on fast ferry commuter services with Thames Clippers operating from east (Woolwich) to west London