Marcus Cooper (property developer)

Marcus Simon Cooper (born c. 1966) is a British property developer, known for buying and selling several of London's most expensive private houses, including Witanhurst, London's second largest private residence after Buckingham Palace. His companies own over 1000 rental properties, and are undertaking projects that are estimated to have a total end value of £1.5 billion.

Marcus Cooper
Born	Marcus Simon Cooper c. 1966
Nationality	British
Education	Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Occupation	Property developer
Website	http://www.marcuscooper.com

Cambridge Terrace

Cornwall Terrace – no.1 is at the right hand end)

Early life

Marcus Simon Cooper was born around 1966.^[1] He was educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School

Career

In 1991, he founded the Marcus Cooper Group,^[2] a property developing, trading and investment company.^[3] He also runs West End Investments Limited, set up in 2013,^[4] from offices at 16 Finchley Road, London NW8.

In 2007 Cooper bought Witanhurst in Highgate, London's second largest private residence after Buckingham Palace, for £30 million, and sold it 2008 for £50 million.^[1][5]

In 2012, the London Evening Standard reported that Cooper's companies owned over 1000 rental properties and "are involved in 50 development projects with an end value of £1.5 billion."^[1]

In 2013, Cooper bought the UK's "most expensive terraced house", 1 Cornwall Terrace, for £80 million.^[5]

In 2013, Cooper obtained a 150-year lease on five properties at 6–10 Cambridge Terrace and 1–2 Chester Gate, close to Regent's Park, in order to have them combined to create a £200 million seven-storey "supermansion", with 15 bedrooms and 35 bathrooms.^[6] In October 2014, The Guardian reported that fellow property developer Christian Candy had bought the "seven Grade I-listed John Nash townhouses" from Cooper for about £100 million, using a British Virgin Islands company.^[7]

In July 2013, Cooper's West End Investments bought The Star, St John’s Wood from the pub company Punch Taverns for £2.1 million, and attempted to get planning permission to turn it into a luxury house. This was unsuccessful and it is now an estate agent.^[8][9]

Political donations

In May 2013, Cooper donated £100,000 to the British Conservative Party, in addition to £65,000 previously donated by Cooper and his company.^[10]

References

1. Bill, Peter (27 January 2012). "Wapping plan shows Cooper is no mini". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
2. "Marcus Cooper – Who We Are". Marcus Cooper Group. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
3. "Marcus Cooper – What We Do". Marcus Cooper Group. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
4. "West End Investments Limited". Companies House. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
5. Brennan, Morgan (12 March 2013). "U.K.'s Most Expensive Terraced House Fetches $120 Million From Property Mogul". Forbes. Archived from the original on 23 August 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
6. Haslett, Emma (17 June 2013). "Why London's new 'supermansion' could be its last". Management Today. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
7. Neate, Rupert (20 October 2014). "Candy brothers: 'One day they were likely lads, then they were everywhere'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 August 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
8. "Unhappy hour: Backlash as two historic London inns are sold for £3.7million to become homes". London Evening Standard. 10 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
9. Blunden, Mark (13 April 2015). "St John's Wood pub The Star becomes estate agency despite protection order". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
10. "New Homes, Yes – But Not For The Likes Of Us". The Morning Star. 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2015.