S3 Ep7: Edward Benyon | Shops, schools and swifts - how The Benyon Estate transformed its London neighbourhood

S3 Ep7: Edward Benyon | Shops, schools and swifts - how The Benyon Estate transformed its London neighbourhood

Twenty years of patient placemaking on The Benyon Estate in Hackney has played a transformative role in the regeneration of De Beauvoir Town, turning it into one of East London’s most sought-after places to live and work.

The Benyon Estate forms part of the Englefield Estate and has a portfolio of 234 residential and 170 commercial tenancies within a single square mile of London. Although this makes up only a small fraction of the wider De Beauvoir neighbourhood, the Estate has played a pivotal role in the rejuvenation of the high street on Southgate Road and the development of two new local state schools. It is also responsible for a significant restoration project, the De Beauvoir Block, a vibrant hub for creative businesses offering 75,000 square feet of coworking and office spaces.

In the latest episode of the Estate Matters podcast, Estate Manager Edward Benyon said: "One of the things I've really enjoyed here is creating property that we're going to own for the long term and really understanding one very small square mile of the United Kingdom."

Edward goes on to explain why the Estate lets directly rather than through agents, how it retained every commercial tenant at The De Beauvoir Block through a year of disruptive remedial works and why clear communication is the key to successful, long-term landlord/tenant relationships.