Urban Splash reports strong year for commercial deals

Manchester regeneration company Urban Splash completed sales and lettings on 230,000 sq ft of commercial space last year.

Deals included the sale of 29,000 sq ft of space at City Court Trading Estate in Manchester, and the sale of the Barton Business Park in Eccles, involving more than 69,000 sq ft of space.

Also, a total of 130,000 sq ft of lettings were completed during the year, most of which were in Merseyside.

More than 21,000 sq ft was let during the year at the art deco Matchworks in South Liverpool. Commercial lettings manager, Aoife O’Sullivan, said: “2021 was a year in which businesses safely got back out into their marketplace. Owners reassessed their needs and opted for better designed, open spaces which can accommodate new hybrid ways of working – something offered across our portfolio where flexibility has always been key.

“An added point of difference for us is continued investment in our portfolio – as we have done at Matchworks, ensuring that we can offer businesses great bases to work from across Northern cities.”

Other lettings were completed in Manchester, where 17,000 sq ft of space was let to businesses moving into Beehive Mill and Waulk Mill in Ancoats, and Mansion House, the new Urban Splash apartment offering overlooking New Islington Marina.

Aoife added: “After an understandably muted 2020, the vibrancy and buzz came back in abundance to these appealing areas of Manchester last year.”

Urban Splash also completed in excess of 5,000 sq ft of space in Sheffield at the revitalised Park Hill building in the city.

The company manages a commercial portfolio across the country, with other workspace on offer in Salford, Plymouth and soon in Birmingham.

Last year it also launched new space at 5 Richmond Street in the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village where workspaces are now on the market.

Emily Jones, commercial director, said: “We have worked hard during COVID to nurture our portfolio. We have offered flexibility to customers navigating uncertain times, and safety measures that allow their colleagues to continue to attend to work. We have invested in well designed spaces with large atriums, and outdoor areas that have successfully accommodated the change in working environments since 2020.”