Qataris buy 20 pct of UK property firm Chelsfield

London: The Qatar Investment Authority has bought a 20 per cent stake in British property company Chelsfield Partners LLP, boosting the Gulf state's interest in commercial real estate, the two partners said on Sunday.

Chelsfield, which owns London's Camden market among other notable properties, was formed by Elliott Bernerd and Stuart Lipton, who together created Chelsfield Plc - a listed business that was taken private three years ago.

No financial details of the latest deal were given but one person familiar with the situation said a newspaper report that the Qataris had paid more than 80 million pounds ($147 million) for the 20 per cent holding was "exaggerated".

UK investments

The QIA, founded by the state of Qatar in 2003, already has some sizeable investments in the following British companies:

- 27 per cent stake in J Sainsbury
- 15 per cent stake in the London Stock Exchange of
- 6 per cent holding in Barclays

Its Property interests:

- 15 per cent stake in Songbird Estates