Laying the Platform for the next generation of technology companies

Bruntwood chief executive Chris Oglesby wants his property group to lay the Platform for the next generation of Leeds technology companies as he formally opened a major development in the city last night.

The 120,000 sq ft building which towers over Leeds railway station in the city centre was launched after more than a decade of challenges, with Oglesby acknowledging “it’s been a long time coming.”

Overhauling the building was delayed by the financial crisis, the contractor going bust partway through, and the complexities of working on a building that only touches the ground in three places and is next to one of the busiest railway stations in the country.

Platform will be home to the Tech Hub, providing a co-working space and small offices for digital companies that is supported by the Leeds Tech Hub Fund. “We are hugely excited about having secured the tech hub in Platform,” said Oglesby.

“It will provide the flexible workspace and, through the Tech Hub, the support for start-ups and scale-ups.

“Hopefully that will grow more great businesses and we will need more stock in the city.”

The former City House building is expected to be home to around 100 businesses over its 13 floors once it is full.

“We are well ahead of schedule – it was over 50% let on competion,” he said. “This is a building which is targeted at small and medium businesses.

“We are definitely in the sweet spot in the market here with the focus on the smaller occupiers – that’s really what’s been driving the market. There has been the odd very large deal but it is SMEs that are driving the market.”

Bruntwood, which also operates in Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham, is continuing to perform strongly but is aware of the grey clouds on the economic horizon, exemplified by the downward revisions in GDP in this week’s Budget.

Oglesby added: “Since the Brexit vote we have just looked at the risk we are taking in the business.

“The investment demand is phenomenally strong, the occupier demand is stronger than at any time I have known.

“The micro factors are very strong, but the macro factors mean we have to manage the risk. But we are seeing strong and varied demand in all of the four cities we operate in.”

Oglesby, who is on the board of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, is optimistic about the prospects for Leeds and its property sector.

“There are a number of exciting initiatives in the city, whether that’s in the west end, up in the north of the city or at the South Bank,” he said.

“The city has got its head round a masterplan and that makes it easy for us to align our own plans.”