Queens Park Rangers has come up against a formidable opponent in the pugnacious shape of Geoff Warren.

He is the owner of 47 acres of land at Old Oak Common, used by his car sales company Cargiant.

QPR wants to embed a stadium within 10,000 new homes Warren plans on the land. A lot has been heard from the club since it unilaterally announced its intentions last December. Nothing has been heard from Warren directly, until today. It’s no deal.

“We own the land,” says Warren. “We are going to develop it. The stadium is just not going to happen. We’ve looked at all the options. I’ve spoken to experts like Tony Pidgley of Berkeley. They all say the same, ‘don’t build a stadium’. It’s simply not viable. Its presence slows down sales.

“I’m not saying all this because we want to build up the price. I’m rich enough not to need their money. I’m not interested in having a stadium. Would you want to live in a stadium environment?

"We are making very good progress with the planning application. I’ve committed £15 million to the process. The application will be submitted next September.”

Well, that’s pretty clear, isn’t it? Warren set up Cargiant in 1977 on the three-acre site of an old Rolls-Royce factory at Old Oak Common. The 59-year-old has acquired another 44 acres of land over the years. The company stores 6000 cars and sells more than 1000 a week. Warren owns the business. The Sunday Times puts his wealth at £220 million — so he’s not a man in need of football money.

QPR remains undeterred, despite losing £66 million last year and having a horror-story balance sheet. Work on its application continues. “Funding is in place to acquire the relevant land holdings,” said a spokesman. “QPR has entered into exclusivity arrangements with Network Rail and other landowners. The stadium will bring a ‘beating heart’ to the area.”

Over Warren’s prostrate body. He has engaged architects PLP, housing specialist First Base and developer Sir Stuart Lipton, the man who drew up plans for a new town at Stratford before the Olympics came to town. “Old Oak has the potential to become the Stratford of the west. But a football stadium on Cargiant’s land will not make it a friendly place.”

Where else at Old Oak seems now to be the issue for QPR chairman Tony Fernandes and his Asian backers. A 30-year plan for the whole 380 acres was drawn up last year. It includes a vast rail nexus bringing together Crossrail and HS2 stations. These are surrounded by office towers, graduating down into estates containing 19,000 homes.

The plan is prepared by Sir Terry Farrell, now advising QPR. Fernandes has also hired Olympic stadium designer Populous and planner Savills.

Given Warren’s stance, it surely cannot be beyond the wit of the trio to figure out where else on Old Oak Common the stadium might rest? After all, the Cargiant owner only owns a tiddly 47 acres out of the whole 380.

Royal Mail must deliver

Time for Royal Mail to cash in at Mount Pleasant before things get any more unpleasant.

Mayor Boris Johnson gave the go-ahead two weeks ago for a £500 million redevelopment, despite some vociferous local opposition.

Royal Mail property director Martin Gafsen has done a great job of maximising the price of the land by packing in 826,000 square feet of sellable space, made up of 681 flats in 10 modern blocks up to 15 storeys high. But to confuse matters, the Mayor has left the door open for protesters to apply for permission for their own plans.

A classical low-rise scheme has been drawn up by the Mount Pleasant Association.

This packs even more homes on to the 8.7 acres of unwanted sorting offices on Farringdon Road.

Time to sell to a developer. Let them take the coming flak.

We’re wary of the Deutsche ditherers

Banks are emerging from their 2008-09 crash bunkers seeking fresh space.

Société Générale may take 300,000 square feet at Canary Wharf. Wells Fargo, Crédit Agricole and Investec, plus broker Icap, want to stretch their wings.

Digby Flower of agent Cushman & Wakefield confirms the trend: “There is now more than one million square feet of enquiries for space from banks in City and Docklands, two thirds up on the start of the year.”

No demands yet from Deutsche Bank, fortunately. The German bank is in bad odour with developers. During the last boom, Deutsche dithered endlessly over consolidating into a huge new HQ, either east of Leadenhall or, it now transpires, opposite Cannon Street station.

Large amounts of time and money were wasted producing plans to lure Deutsche at the time. Not this time around, meine Damen und Herren.

Lloyd’s looks east as Chinese move in

Chinese insurance giant Ping An last year paid £260 million for the Lloyd’s “inside out” building in Lime Street. Estates Gazette reports that the insurance market is ensuring its future in London by buying a building occupied by another insurer.

A £330 million deal to buy a low, glassy block next to the Tower of London is nearing closure. Agent CBRE is selling the 384,000-square-foot block with the faintly peculiar flat roof occupied by broker Marsh & McLennan on behalf of a German fund.

Those who wish to aid reciprocal trade with China will wish to know that this week Chinese developer Dalian Wanda began selling flats at £1300 a square foot in a 655-foot tower being built at Vauxhall.