Planning firm’s expansion leads to office move
PLANNING consultancy Quod North is moving into Bond Court, the latest part of Leeds city centre to be undergoing its own transformation.
The company now employs 12 staff at its northern operation, which was launched by Tim Waring in early 2014. It has outgrown its current Park Square offices and has signed a 10-year lease for a 3,500 sq ft office in the Capitol building.
Last year Evans Property Group spent six months refurbishing the building to create 20,000 sq ft of high quality office accommodation along with improvements to the common areas.
The transformation is part of a £20m investment programme being undertaken by Evans at the Bond Court area of Leeds. The Minerva office building on East Parade has become a flagship, Grade A office building for the city and demolition work will soon be underway on the development of a 90 bed five-star hotel.
CBRE and JLL are agents on Capitol and Quod North was represented by DTZ.
Richard Bean at JLL said: “The works to Capitol were undertaken at just the right time, as supply of Grade A stock within the city is at an all-time low but occupier confidence is returning. Both Capitol and Minerva are proving very popular with occupiers who are keen to have presence in the core commercial area of Leeds with the added benefit of being on the doorstep of the retail quarter.”
Tim Waring, director at Quod North, said; “We have experienced phenomenal growth in the last year or so, and Capitol will provide us with a long term base to continue to expand our team and our business.”
Founded in London in 2010, Quod advises on development projects, including infrastructure, commercial, housing and retail. Its Leeds team is currently advising on a number of projects across Yorkshire, including the extension of the White Rose Shopping Centre, redevelopment of the Yorkshire Post Building, Princess Quay, and the proposed new settlement at Whinthorpe.
