Water group chooses Stoke development for its 400 staff

WATER PLUS, the joint venture that has been set up by Severn Trent and United Utilities, has chosen Two Smithfield in Stoke as its headquarters.

400 people will work at the site, some of who will be moving over from the business retail teams at Severn Trent’s Coventry base and UU’s Warrington site.

Water Plus will be offering services to business customers when competition rules are relaxed from next April.

Two Smithfield is a part of the first phase of the Smithfield masterplan with development opportunities for 1.2m sq ft of office, retail and leisure space.

Water Plus has taken 38,300 sq ft over two floors on a 10-year lease. Two Smithfield has a guide rental price of £18 per sq ft. 

Sue Amies-King, chief executive of Water Plus, described Two Smithfield as “a perfect location”, adding: “Stoke-on-Trent represents a perfect location for us, equidistant from Severn Trent’s offices in Birmingham and Coventry and UU’s base in Warrington.”

Andrew Venables, director at Bilfinger GVA, which advised on the transaction, said: “This is a fantastic letting that really exemplifies Stoke-on-Trent’s growing reputation as a centre for high quality national and international businesses.”