News Corporation to redevelop London Wapping site

LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is to redevelop its Wapping site in London, moving all its UK businesses, including News International, Harper Collins, MySpace and Dow Jones, under one roof.

News International, home to The Sun, The Times, News of the World and The Sunday Times newspapers, has been based at the 20-acre "Fortress Wapping" site since 1986.

News Corporation said in a statement it expected the project to be completed by 2012 and that it would offer greater communication and interaction between the different businesses.

"Throughout our history, News Corporation has challenged conventions, and we hope this building will provide benefits to the business that can't be found in traditional commercial real estate," said James Murdoch, News Corp's Chairman and Chief Executive of Europe and Asia.

Market sources had previously told Reuters that News Corporation was considering a move and looking at some central London sites, including the business districts of Canary Wharf and Waterloo.

The Wapping complex was the backdrop for the 1980s print union riots during Margaret Thatcher's term as prime minister.

The development was nicknamed "Fortress Wapping" for the high security measures the company implemented to thwart protesters and protect journalists and printers going to work.

News Corporation has appointed architects Future Systems, which worked on such projects as the media centre at Lord's Cricket Ground, to lead the development.

(Reporting by Kate Holton, editing by Will Waterman)