Architect Chapman Taylor behind revamp of 1970s shopping centre

Brent Cross shopping centre aerial

The architect behind a revamp of Brent Cross Shopping Centre has seen profit rebound in 2017 after taking a hit last time.

Chapman Taylor is working on the scheme which will see the 1970s built centre in north London double in size to 2 million sq ft and include 150 new retail stores, 50 restaurants, a cinema complex, hotel accommodation and enlarged bus station.

In October, Laing O鈥橰ourke was given the nod over rivals Multiplex and Sir Robert McAlpine for the 拢1.4bn development which is being masterminded by Hammerson and Standard Life Investments.

Pre-tax profit at Chapman Taylor, which is also behind a 拢75m extension to the Princesshay shopping centre in Exeter that was built by Sir Robert McAlpine and opened 10 years ago, jumped a third to 拢3m in the year to June after slipping a third in 2016. Turnover was up 19% to 拢36m.

Just over 拢12m of its business is from the UK with the remainder from overseas with income from work in Europe, which includes a number of schemes in Germany, accounting for the biggest slice of turnover from its three geographical areas.