Breaking Property News 23/2/26
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RO sees large ROI with CRE atford site sale
Sale of 56 Clarendon Road Watford by RO Group to Strides Pharma UK
RO Group is pleased to announce the successful sale of 56 Clarendon Road, Watford to Strides Pharma UK, the UK arm of global pharmaceutical company Strides Pharma Science Ltd.
RO originally acquired the property in 2014, and the sale represents the successful realization of a long-term investment highlighting the Group’s value-driven approach to managing and unlocking potential across its portfolio. The disposal enables RO to recycle capital into carefully selected opportunities in the Roadside and Industrial sectors across the Midlands and South of England.
56 Clarendon Road will become Strides Pharma UK’s new headquarters, supporting the company’s ongoing operations and long-term presence in the UK market. The decision reflects Watford’s position as a major regional business centre, located approximately 20 miles northwest of central London and within M25. The town is home to a strong cluster of national and multinational companies, particularly along Clarendon Road, including TJX Europe, KPMG, Ralph Lauren, PwC, Epson and Allwyn, underlining the area’s appeal to corporate occupiers.
Nick Cashmore, Investment Director at RO Real Estate, commented:
“We are delighted to announce the sale of 56 Clarendon Road to Strides Pharma, a multinational pharmaceutical company, and to see the building become its new UK headquarters. The opportunistic sale represents a well-timed realisation with the sale price reflecting a 40% premium on the 2025 valuation.”
“We intend to reinvest the proceeds into carefully selected land and investment opportunities in the Roadside and Industrial sectors across the Midlands and South of England where we see further potential to create value.”
The property is favourably positioned close to Watford Junction station, which provides direct Metropolitan Line, London Overground and mainline rail connections into central London. The property also benefits from excellent road connectivity, situated adjacent to Junctions 5 and 6 of the M1 and just minutes from the M25.
The RO Group was advised by Brasier Freeth and Womble Bond Dickinson on this transaction.
The RO is a family-owned group of companies established in 1932. The RO has always invested in a diverse range of interests which today embraces commercial property, housebuilding, and venture capital.
RO Real Estate, the commercial property division, has built over 1.1 million sq. ft. to date and currently manages over 300,000 sq. ft. of office, industrial, and roadside retail as well as its growing land bank of development sites. All acquisitions are funded through existing cash resources, meaning that the RO is able to move quickly if the appropriate investment criteria are met.
RO’s award winning Hampshire based housebuilder, Metis Homes, builds modern homes with traditional values and has created a diverse portfolio of bespoke, high-quality homes in prime locations – from traditional properties in rural settings to contemporary town centre schemes.
RO Capital Partners is the Group’s venture capital arm. Capital Partners is an active, early-stage investment partner principally focusing on: Proptech; Cleantech; and Fintech.
RO Land was established in 2020 to build on the group’s existing successes in land acquisition and planning. Its objective is to add value to land by unlocking its development potential. It promotes greenfield and brownfield sites for a wide range of uses, including residential, commercial, and alternatives such as renewables. It has a long-term investment approach which allows it to unlock sites that may be considered too difficult by other promoters.
The RO Group is committed to creating value for all stakeholders whilst also addressing environmental and social issues. This includes pursuing a net zero strategy with the assistance of Rioto to monitor the group’s carbon footprint. Actively investing in business opportunities with positive environmental and social impacts.
RO Energy pursues projects in renewable energy including a 5 MW solar park in Milton Keynes and actively reviews its operating systems and supply chain to ensure that it consistently drives efficiencies, and works with other businesses that value diversity and sustainability.
Andrew Stanton Executive Editor – moving property and proptech forward. PropTech-X
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