Third.i Group, the British division of Australian developer Third.i, has announced that Sainsbury’s will join its flagship Graphite Square regeneration scheme, as the site’s first commercial tenant. Sainsbury’s – one of the UK’s largest and oldest retail brands – has agreed a prime ground floor unit with excellent street frontage with direct access from the public realm on a substantial lease term.
With a planned opening of H1 2026, Sainsbury’s store will provide convenience and neighbourhood retailing to both Graphite Square’s 250 plus residents, as well as the growing residential community within Vauxhall and Nine Elms – alongside the area’s extant worker and commuting population. The national retailer was attracted to Graphite Square for its prime location, strong projected footfall and the opportunity to anchor a growing neighbourhood with a highquality, convenienceled offer.
Recognising the under-supply of high-quality convenience retailers within the immediate area, Sainsbury’s new store will seamlessly blend into Graphite Square’s new public realm which aims to improve pedestrian connectivity between Vauxhall station and Albert Embankment. Designed by Ben Adams Architects, this public realm has been integrated into the wider development with dedicated urban greening additions and contemporary street furniture.
Julian Baker, sales director at Third.i Group (UK), commented: “The arrival of Sainsbury’s Local at Graphite Square marks an important first step in bringing every day, community-focused retail to the heart of Vauxhall and reinforces Third.i’s vision for Graphite Square as a dynamic mixed-use development. This leasing reflects our commitment to delivering developments that respond to modern urban lifestyles and contribute meaningfully to Vauxhall’s future.”
Jonathan Arthur, Sainsbury’s head of convenience property development, said: “We’re bringing Sainsbury’s to more people across the UK with our biggest investment in stores in a decade, and we’re excited to expand our presence into the new Graphite Square development. We have a proud history of serving the community in Vauxhall from our existing stores, and we were drawn to Graphite Square for its central position within a rapidly growing neighbourhood, strong future footfall and the opportunity to serve residents, workers and commuters from a modern, purposebuilt location. We look forward to building on our success from this brandnew site once it opens.”
It is expected that Graphite Square’s public realm will become a focal route for Vauxhall’s pedestrians and has been designed to accommodate up to 1,000 movements per day. Sainsbury’s and other commercial occupiers are set to benefit from GSQ’s placement within the heart of the Vauxhall, Nine Elms, Battersea Opportunity Area – which has been allocated by the GLA for 18,500 new homes and 18,500 new jobs by 2041. This, alongside the area’s multiple public transport routes, will likely deliver high predicted footfall levels, as well as fluctuating tourist traffic driven by local amenities and strong public realm activation.
Third.i’s agents USP & CBRE are actively considering opportunities from blue chip tenants across the scheme’s remaining 60,000+ sq ft of commercial space. Agents are prioritising blue-chip occupiers from the public sector, technology, and healthcare markets, who will benefit from the scheme’s unique 20,000sq ft floorplates, which can be split or link floors via soft spots.
This announcement builds on Third.i’s global strategy of delivering amenity- and transport-focused projects that enhance liveability and provide long-term value for residents and communities.
In Australia, Third.i is working strategically with Coles across a growing portfolio of mixed-use and retail-led developments. This collaboration includes the recently completed Balfour Place at Lindfield, where Third.i successfully delivered a high-quality outcome integrating essential retail with surrounding residential catchments. Building on this proven delivery capability, Third.i and Coles are actively progressing further opportunities across key metropolitan and growth locations throughout Sydney and Melbourne, with a focus on well-located, transit-connected sites that support population growth, housing delivery and long-term community amenity.
DLC acted on behalf of Third.i.
