Property news: Iceland; AKA International; Hitchcock Wright & Partners & more

FROZEN food specialist Iceland will open its new store format, The Food Warehouse, at Trafford Peel Retail Park soon, targeting families, bulk buyers, and those in the catering or hospitality business.

The new store will open within a 10,000sq ft unit, with the grocery company signing a 10-year lease at the popular retail park, adjacent to the Trafford Centre within Trafford City.

The Food Warehouse stores are part of a new concept which offers a wide range of frozen, chilled, fresh, branded groceries and special ‘When It’s Gone It’s Gone’ household products with the benefit of on-site car parking.

Kevin Keigher, asset and development manager of Trafford Peel Retail Park, said: “The addition of The Food Warehouse to our mix of retail and food and beverage already offered at Trafford Peel Retail Park, strengthens our offer, enabling us to further meet customer demand.

“Whilst The Food Warehouse is a relatively new retailer, we’ve been impressed by their ability to build upon the successful frozen ranges of Iceland whilst offering a wide range of chilled, fresh and branded grocery goods.”

The signing follows the recent addition of a 20,000sqft B&M Bargains boosting the discount mix which already includes Home Bargains, TKMaxx, Dunelm Mill and Sports Direct.

Food and beverage has also seen a boost with the addition of a Nandos restaurant in December 2015, enhancing the existing restaurant offering which includes Pizza Hut, Mac Donald’s and KFC.

Trafford Peel Retail Park benefits from more than two million visitors per annum, with its latest signings increasing customer dwell times.

The Food Warehouse opens on Tuesday April 26 at 9am. The first 100 customers will receive a free gift to help celebrate the new store opening.

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AKA International’s Manchester office is doubling in size as it restructures to meet demand.
 
The marketing agency has moved from its Ducie Street base into 1,900sq ft offices on Sackville Street and will be expanding the team as it widens its service offering.

With a new managing director heading the operation, AKA North has secured a series of new clients including The Royal Mint, which was awarded last week.

Gillian Thomson-Woolley joined the company last year from The Creative Cell in Glasgow. Her priority is to develop AKA North into a standalone, full-service agency that reflects the creative offering of AKA’s London operation.
 
She said: “We have a strong heritage in Manchester, having developed here as a media planning and buying company for the arts and cultural industries. With increased opportunities and a wealth of amazing talent here in the city and throughout Northern England, diversifying was a logical step.
 
“A series of new client briefs have been secured, the most recent being The Royal Mint, which we won in a competitive pitch just last week. This will see us look after the planning and buying of the integrated media campaign to promote The Royal Mint Experience which opens in May, encompassing television, radio, out of home, digital and press.”
 
The win is the latest new appointment for the agency, following successful pitches to HOME, the University of Huddersfield and Liverpool Biennial. AKA North will have the support of AKA International’s global office network across London, Edinburgh, New York, Melbourne and Sydney, but will operate as a bespoke Northern company, offering brand, media planning and buying, creative, digital and direct.
 
AKA North’s other clients include The Lowry, Endemol, Northern Ballet, SkinBase, West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Science Museum Group and Trafford College.

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LIVERPOOL agent Hitchcock Wright & Partners has secured a deal in St Helens for an expanding polish supermarket chain.

Polish supermarket Delicje will take 4,047sq ft at an industrial retail unit on Parr Street. The successful supermarket, which has two existing stores on Bagot Street and Broad Lane in Liverpool, will occupy unit 1 on the site.

Located in St Helens town centre, the former car warehouse, offering 8,749sq ft in total across two units, is in a highly prominent position and benefits from on-site car parking.

Sean Collins-Jones of Hitchcock Wright & Partners says: “It’s great to see a local business expand and this site in St Helens was an ideal location for Delicje. The introduction of this new store will improve and complement the local retail offer, help reduce travel distances for shoppers, whilst the benefit of the car park makes it readily accessible to the community.”

“The site’s central location makes it an attractive proposition for retailers, benefitting from Parr Street’s busy route towards the town centre and nearby traders including Topps Tiles and St Helens Retail Park.”

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PRYDIS, the multi-disciplinary finance group, incorporating wealth management, accountancy and legal practices, is continuing its expansion with a Manchester office opening.

The office on King Street has opened as a result of the increasing amount of work Prydis is undertaking in the North West. The new office is well placed to deliver services to Prydis’ clients who are based, or have interests, in the North West.

Prydis also announces the appointment of Andrew Waugh who will head up the Manchester office. He has more than 20 years’ legal experience and previously ran his own investment group, 53N which sought property and corporate investment and development opportunities. Prior to this he was Group Legal & Commercial Director at Urban Splash.

In addition, Waugh has been appointed as a director of the group board and a director of Prydis Legal to add further guidance to the property and commercial team.

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BE Group has been appointed by Bilsdale Properties to work alongside existing agent JLL to market Haydock’s prime business park The Parks.

The Parks provides more than 120,000 sq ft of prime office accommodation in 15 self-contained buildings. The scheme is situated on the M6 corridor at the intersection of the M6 (J23) and East Lancs Road (A580).

Simon Roddam of BE Group said “Whilst The Parks is already home to the likes of Speedy Hire, Lorom Europe, Pugh & Co and Michael Halsall Solicitors amongst others, there is quality refurbished office space immediately available.

“The quality product and strategic positioning of The Parks will certainly continue to appeal to companies who are looking to improve their business environment and image”.

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ADELPHI Wharf – the Salford-based luxury residential development delivered by Fortis Developments and Knight Knox – has been named Best Urban Living Development at the iProperty Best Development Awards 2015.

The winners of the awards – which celebrate the best in premium residential projects – are chosen by a selection of consumers, agencies and leading industry professionals. This year saw Adelphi Wharf receive the highest percentage of votes and achieve the highest score in architectural design, spacial layout, special features and amenities amongst competitors in the same category.

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LIVERPOOL-based hotel developer and operator Signature Living has announced a multi-million pound regeneration plan for Cardiff’s historic Coal Exchange after reaching an agreement with City of Cardiff Council to acquire the Grade II* listed former office and music venue.

Signature Living successfully saw off dozens of rival bids for the building after proposing to refurbish the much-loved landmark and preserve all of its original features as part of a new luxury 200-suite hotel, wedding and events venue.

The deal ends years of uncertainty surrounding the future of site and Signature Living say their investment will further boost the ongoing regeneration of the Cardiff Bay area.

The new development is anticipated to create 100 jobs and apprenticeship opportunities when work starts later in the year and a further 60 jobs when the venue opens.

In 2014, Signature Living won praise for their restoration of Liverpool’s Grade II listed Albion House, which was once home to the Titanic’s White Star Line headquarters.

The company transformed the historic site into one of the city’s most distinctive and elegant hotels.

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PRESTON-based Conlon Construction is underway with two office refurbishment projects in Greater Manchester totalling almost £2.2m.

Commissioned through the North West Construction Hub (NWCH) Medium Value Framework (MVF), the projects will be completed by July 2016.

Moss Side District Office, used by Manchester Learning Disability Partnership, is receiving a £1.4m facelift, with works including upgrades to the heating & hot water system, replacement of windows, doors and roofing and rationalisation of car parking arrangements.

In addition, Conlon is undertaking a £810,000 fit out and alteration project at Etrop Court in Wythenshawe.

The ground and first floor accommodation will be reconfigured to be more in keeping with modern office environments, with meeting rooms, break-out areas and business hubs.

Guy Parker, managing director at Conlon Construction, said: “We take great pride in delivering projects within allocated timescales and budgets, without compromising on quality. The increased future potential for contract awards will only add to our extensive portfolio of public sector experience.”

The NWCH was established in 2010 in response to central Government’s drive to improve efficiencies and to add value to construction activity across Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, and Merseyside.

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LEGAT Owen, acting on behalf of Hollingsworth Estates has announced two deals at King’s Court in Sandycroft on Deeside.
 
The news comes as construction continues into the second phase of the development. 
Located on Prince William Avenue, within the Deeside Enterprise Zone, the first phase comprises 20,000sq ft units.

GT Cars has taken 6,000sq ft on a 10-year lease and follows on from the pre-let secured to SMC Overland. The final 4,000sq ft in phase I is currently under offer.
 
Heating & Screed has taken 5,00 sq ft at phase II, which, when completed, will offer 20,000sq ft light industrial / warehouse space. Construction is to commence on the third phase in the following months and will offer a further 20,000sq ft accommodation on a speculative / design and build basis.

Mark Diaper, associate director, industrial agency, Legat Owen, sole agents for the scheme, said: “The high specification alone has attracted occupiers to the scheme, but when you also consider all the benefits that being located in an Enterprise Zones brings to growing businesses, King’s Court becomes an even more attractive proposition.” 

All tenants were unrepresented.

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PATRIZIA, the manager of Birchwood Park, Warrington, has welcomed the Manchester division of Bellway to Bridgewater Place.

Bellway will occupy 9,024sq ft at 304 Bridgewater Place, joining a host of well-known companies including Rolls-Royce, Amec Foster Wheeler and Electricity North West. Bellway has taken the final suite at Bridgewater Place, with all five buildings within the development now fully let.

Bellway is the fourth largest housebuilder in the UK. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a FTSE 250 listed company. 

In just under 70 years, Bellway has built more than 100,000 homes, enjoying sustained growth and recognition within the industry and from its customers as a builder of high quality homes in desirable areas.

Stuart Gray, divisional managing director at Bellway Homes, said: “Birchwood Park is the ideal location for our Manchester division – its accessibility to the transport network ensures we are within easy reach of our Manchester projects, and are conveniently located for meetings and conferences.

“Our new office has given the team a real boost. Everyone is thrilled to have moved to such a premium location, and are already making use of the gym and Starbucks. We have built an enviable reputation for our high standard of service and build quality, and the quality of our new home at Birchwood Park reflects this.”

Martin O’Rourke, commercial director at Birchwood Park, said: “After a comprehensive search across the local area, we are delighted that Bellway has chosen Bridgewater Place for its Manchester division. 

JLL and BE Group advised PATRIZIA, the manager of Birchwood Park.

Birchwood Park is owned by a joint venture of PATRIZIA and Oaktree Capital management.

Last year PATRIZIA announced the acquisition of the 20-acre “First Street” site in Manchester.

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WHR Property Consultants with joint agent Savills, has disposed of a 170,000 sq ft warehouse on Stakehill Industrial Estate in Middleton on behalf of clients of Commercial Estates Group.

The former Wincanton unit was acquired by distribution company, Howard Tenens in an off market deal.
 
Commercial Estates Group acquired the 850,000 sq ft state in 2012 on behalf of clients. 

Stakehill is home to a number of blue chip occupiers including UK Mail, DHL, Boots, Dunlop, LED Hut, DFDA and UK Cables.

In December, CEG won the Best Asset Management initiative award at the Industrial Agent Society awards for its work at the Estate, which has resulted in several new occupiers such as Office Point, JLG and Workplace North moving to Stakehill.

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ACTING on behalf of the Education Funding Agency, Cushman & Wakefield has secured planning permission and listed building consent for the change of use of the Grade II listed Murlain House in Chester, to a 210-place free school. 
 
Once the conversion works have been carried out, the Forest Street property will become the permanent home to the University Church Free School (UCFS).

The works will be implemented in two stages, allowing for a phased transition of pupils from the school’s temporary home close by at Gateway House, Northgate Street.

This necessitated two separate applications, prepared and submitted by Cushman & Wakefield, paying particular attention to the challenges that the listed building status and city centre location presented through this process.  

Andrew Teage, associate drector, development & planning at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “A highly-successful school can now confidently invest in its future which will greatly benefit education in the city of Chester, as well as protecting the long-term future of one of the city’s heritage assets.”

Gareth Davies, headmaster of UCFS, said: “A great working relationship between the Trust, the school, the EFA and Cushman & Wakefield has culminated in the creation of a state-of-the-art primary within an historic school building. It’s wonderful to see new life breathed into this building right in the heart of Chester.”

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A 0.65-acre site in Radcliffe near Bury has been sold to an investor for a figure above the asking price of £120,000.

Nolan Redshaw has sold the prominent site, part of the former Wilton House factory – once the home of General Engeineeringf – which was destroyed by fire several years ago.

Paul Nolan, director at Nolan Redshaw said: “There was a great deal of interest in the site straightaway and the site has the potential for a number of different development scenarios.  
 
“It is understood that the site will be sold for a figure slightly in excess of the asking price.”

 

 

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