UAE-based real estate developer Arada has acquired a 75% stake in UK residential developer Regal in a deal valued at AED2.5 billion ($681 million), marking its entry into the London market. The acquisition represents Arada's second international expansion following its move into Australia in 2024 and provides the company with an immediate platform to operate in one of the world's leading property markets. Regal will be rebranded as Arada London as part of the transaction.

The deal accelerates the delivery of Regal's existing 10,000-unit residential pipeline across 11 projects in London. Arada plans to more than triple this pipeline over the next three years, leveraging Regal's 30-year track record and 150-person team. The UK developer has previously delivered more than 4,000 homes and 1 million square feet of commercial space, with current projects including Fulton & Fifth in Wembley, which comprises 876 homes with 40% designated as affordable housing.

Arada's expansion into London aligns with its strategy of geographic diversification beyond its strong UAE base. Since its founding in 2017, the developer has launched 10 projects in the UAE, including the Aljada megaproject and Armani Beach Residences at Palm Jumeirah. The company's portfolio across the UAE and Australia amounts to over AED95 billion with more than 42,000 units, of which 10,000 have been delivered to date.

The acquisition comes as Gulf investors continue to deploy capital internationally amid strong property markets in their home regions. Arada is owned by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, deputy ruler of Sharjah, and Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia. The investment also coincides with the UK government's push to increase housing supply, though rising construction costs present challenges to delivery targets.

London's Metropolitan Police has reversed its longstanding position on grooming gangs in the capital, acknowledging for the first time that it has multiple active investigations into group-based child sexual exploitation. The shift came after an investigation by MyLondon and The Daily Express challenged official statements from both police leadership and Mayor Sadiq Khan, who had consistently maintained there were "no reports" or "no indication" of Rochdale or Rotherham-style rape gangs operating in London.

The investigation uncovered evidence from four separate His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services reports spanning 2016 to 2025 that documented at least six potential victims of grooming gang abuse. These case studies, which the Mayor of London personally responded to according to public statements, described children as young as 13 being exploited by groups of predatory men. The reports detailed how girls were plied with drugs and alcohol, raped in hotels by multiple perpetrators, and subjected to life-threatening situations.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley revealed to Assembly Members at City Hall that the force now acknowledges a "steady flow" of live multi-offender child sexual exploitation investigations and a "very significant" number of historic cases requiring reinvestigation. The commissioner estimated these reviews would cost "millions of pounds a year, for several years" to properly investigate, contradicting previous assertions that the force had "not seen" such cases in London.

Political figures including Reform UK MP Lee Anderson and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp have criticized the mayor's handling of the situation, with Anderson stating there is "real, credible evidence that grooming gangs exist in London" and Philp alleging that Khan is "facilitating a cover-up." A spokesman for the mayor maintained that Khan has "always been clear that the safety of Londoners is his top priority" and remains "committed to doing all he can to protect children in London."