Property round-up: Oakhill Trading Estate; Driver Hire Crewe; LegalforLandlords; Merseyway Innovation Centre; Abbey Logistics; BAM
JLL, acting on behalf of Peloton Real Estate, has secured leading trade counter occupier, Screwfix, as a tenant in Unit 18 Oakhill Trading Estate, Walkden.
The building extends to 6,035 sq ft and was comprehensively refurbished by Hollis Global acting for Peloton Real Estate.
Screwfix joins the existing line up of tenants including Howdens, GAP, Cadent Gas and Autoglass. The addition of Screwfix to the estate will bring increased footfall and further strengthens the position of the estate as a destination for trade and industrial occupiers.
Robert Kos, director, industrial and logistics at JLL said: “We are pleased to have secured Screwfix as a tenant, this unit offers excellent, high quality space which is testament to the refurbishment.”
Emily Speak, asset manager at Peloton Real Estate, said: “The comprehensive refurbishment of unit 18 has been a key focus for us and we are pleased to see that it has attracted a high quality tenant. This letting is a testament to the efforts we have made to create an attractive environment for occupiers. This is an exciting time for Oakhill as we are rolling out extensive refurbishments to improve the ESG and EPCs throughout the estate.”
Peloton Real Estate was represented by JLL and Knight Frank and Screwfix by represented by Colliers.
Oakhill Trading Estate is owned by BlackRock and asset managed by Peloton Real Estate.
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Driver Hire Crewe team
Business growth at Driver Hire Crewe has triggered a move to new offices. The supplier of staff to the road transport and logistics industry, is now to be found at 226 Nantwich Road, a busy and high profile spot with plenty of passing traffic and high footfall.
Driver Hire provides temporary and permanent drivers and other logistics staff to local and national organisations in both the public and private sector.
Lee Statham, owner of Driver Hire Crewe, said. “Our new premises has a shopfront enabling us to make a much more prominent display of job opportunities. It’s already having a positive impact on the number of enquiries from potential candidates. It also means that we have more space and improved facilities for training and to welcome drivers from our current team.”
As well as the office move, Lee and his office team are also expanding their business focus and now cover Congleton. Lee added: “We’re already doing business with a number of local and national companies who have depots in Congleton. Our expansion means we’ll be able to serve existing customers better and, hopefully, meet the staffing needs of other local businesses and organisations right across our Congleton territory.”
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Sim Sekhon and Margaret Longden of LegalforLandlords
Warrington-based LegalforLandlords has moved premises, half a mile from its previous location on Birchwood Way, to the new Olympic Way offices.
Founder and MD, Sim Sekhon, said: “We’re running out of room, the team is growing and our ambitious plans demand the extra floor space.”
The new space also includes prop tech platform Propoly, which was acquired in 2021.
Mr Sekhon said: “We’ve got a great team with a huge amount of experience, and this short-distance relocation will allow us to keep the team intact.
“Moves can be disruptive, but the transition has been very smooth and we’re ready to hit the ground running.”
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CGI of Merseyway Innovation Centre
Stockport Council has confirmed plans for a new state-of-the-art Innovation Centre in the heart of Stockport town centre, to add to a plethora of recent announcements as part of the council’s ambitious regeneration plans.
Merseyway Innovation Centre (MIC) will see 15,000 sq ft of vacant floorspace on the upper floors of Merseyway Shopping Centre transformed into flexible serviced office and co-working accommodation. This will offer a thriving Innovation Centre where fledgling and small businesses will be supported in their growth plans in a centrally located, flexible and inspirational environment.
Facilities will include: Business lounge, co-working space, business units, grow on space, meeting rooms, ultra-fast broadband.
Stockport-based contractor, TMT Commercial Contractors, is the appointed contractor for the project. Work will include the construction and fit-out, as well as renovation work to the façade.
The scheme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, government funds and Stockport Council. Support from the Arts Council England’s Cultural Development Fund will enhance the digital creative offer.
Cllr Colin MacAlister, cabinet member for economy and regeneration at Stockport Council, said: “We have a thriving business community in Stockport but this will strengthen our offer and provide that all important support for new and small businesses, providing everything they need for their business to grow and prosper.”
Tom Traynor, from TMT Commercial Contracts, said:” This is a hugely exciting opportunity for our company. All three of our company directors are from Stockport so it is great to see the investment within the town centre, and to be able to play a small part in the improvements, coupled with the social value aspect of the project is allowing us to give back to our local community, which is something we are truly passionate about.”
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Plans for the new scheme
Abbey Logistics has invested in new warehousing space in Bromborough.
As a transport provider of bulk liquids and powders, Abbey also specialises in warehousing services including bag to bulk and bulk to bag handling. The new warehousing space offers businesses an outlet to store goods both on a short or long term basis.
With 50,000 sq ft of extra space – total space of 200,000 sq ft – Abbey’s site offers comprehensive warehousing facilities and advanced stock control.
Mike Ellis, business development director, said: “Efficient warehousing services are a core solution to our logistics network. With multiple storage options, bag to bulk and bulk to bag loading, and picking services solutions, Abbey can accommodate numerous warehousing needs.
“The additional warehouse space gives us the flexibility of larger and smaller segregated chambers, it gives customers the flexibility to store in shared units or dedicated with some operating at food grade standards.”
John Abbot, warehouse manager, said: “This latest expansion in our warehouse facility has been driven by strong demand for ambient storage, delivering significant benefits for existing customers and creating capacity for new warehouse business. Combining distribution with warehousing will provide a seamless end-to-end solution.”
Abbey’s site benefits from being close to the major motorway connections – M53 and M56 – and the ports of Liverpool and Birkenhead.
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BAM hosts students
The construction firm behind Co-op Live – the new £350m live entertainment venue by Oak View Group and City Football Group – have engaged their 1,000th young student. The firm, BAM, has been working closely with the Co-op Live team to help students with their education, understanding of careers, and to support their courses.
Students from Belle Vue Co-op Academy and Failsworth Co-op Academy, both part of the Co-op Academies Trust, became the latest to visit the site, which presently has more than 400 people working on it.
They join more than a dozen other schools, universities and colleges who have either sent delegations or received presentations from the BAM and the Co-op Live teams, to see and study the progress of the UK’s largest live entertainment arena. Stretched end-to-end the scheme has enough concrete columns to reach the international space station.
Student visitors have ranged from specialist institutions such as Hopwood Hall Construction College and Manchester Metropolitan University through schools such as Oxford Brooks College, down to younger minds like those at Plymouth Grove Primary School, experiencing their first look at a construction site and igniting curiosity.
Alison Power, BAM’s education and community co-ordinator, said: “Both the Co-op Live and BAM teams wanted to use the fantastic opportunity that working on the UK’s largest indoor entertainment venue presents to help those around us learn and develop their own careers. We don’t just want to build a phenomenal landmark, we want to leave a legacy of improving lives, one our partners Oak View and City Football Group will continue to develop after the venue is open.”
Sara Tomkins, marketing and CSR director at Co-op Live, said: “These ongoing visits form part of our wider ethos by opening up opportunities for local young people to be a part of the biggest and best venue in the UK.”
