Brits in race to build in Berlin

British investors are among those putting up money for a major waterside development near the remains of the Berlin Wall.

The Humboldt Harbour project envisions a new mixed-use city quarter over 516,660 square feet in the "no man's land" near to the capital's new main railway station.

Around that, the city hopes to create an entirely new neighbourhood of offices, hotels, restaurants and shops along with 40% allocated to residential property.

The Europe-wide tendering process has just begun for the first phase of the development covering 129,167 sq ft, with developers able to register their interest by December.

"The Humboldt Harbour is one of Berlin's most desirable undeveloped properties," says Ingeborg Junge-Reyer, senator for urban development in Berlin's city-state government.

Local media reported that several British investment firms had put in bids of over £500 million for the first stage of development.