Property round-up: Wain Estates; Countryside Partnerships; Liverpool Waters; Bridging Finance Solutions; Capital&Centric

Wain Estates has appointed agents to advise on the long term investment and occupational strategy for the commercial elements at its vast Carrington Estate asset in Greater Manchester.

Following a detailed interview process, JLL and B8 Real Estate have been appointed as joint agents.

Wain Estates managing director of development, Jack Brister, said: “We are getting ready to bring forward the next commercial phases at Carrington and getting the right agents on board is crucial to ensure we have the optimal investment and delivery strategy.

“We are confident we have two strong partners with excellent regional knowledge and sectoral knowledge to advise on future phasing. They also have the resources to provide other services and advice in areas like ESG – environmental and social betterment being central to all we do.”

Wain Estates currently has several major schemes in the planning system:

• Carrington Enterprise Park – A detailed planning application has been submitted for 10 buildings delivering a total of 268,000 sq ft of employment space on a 19-acre site on Manchester Road.
• Carrington Boulevard – The site, which sits opposite Carrington Gateway, has outline consent for 260,000 sq ft of logistics space. Detailed plans for a reserved matters application are currently being drawn up.
• The Junction – An outline application has been submitted for a major new logistics hub providing up to one million sq ft of carbon net zero ready space in larger buildings. A decision on the outline application is due later this year.

Jack added: “These three schemes form the next tranche of commercial elements on the estate. It is a hugely exciting time with a total of two million sq ft of employment space across the estate currently going through the planning process, reinforcing Carrington Estate as a regional asset for employment and investment.”

JLL has also been retained, alongside Colliers, to market two available units at Carrington Gateway. Completed in 2020 the Gateway consists of six high quality logistics buildings – three of which were recently acquired by Cabot Property.

Global packaging company Max Fame recently signed an agreement for one of the retained buildings with 21,000 sq ft still available.

Wain Estates property director, Paul Wrigglesworth, said: “The success of Carrington Gateway both as an investment asset and a business location shows the continued demand for high quality space in this regional location.”

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CGI of Eastbrook Village

Countryside Partnerships has secured contracts with affordable housing provider Livv Housing Group and single-family build to rent specialists Start Living at its Eastbrook Village site in Maghull near Liverpool.

Countryside Partnerships will deliver 45 homes for Livv, while also delivering 53 rental properties for Start Living.

Livv is one of Liverpool City Region’s leading affordable housing providers, with around 13,000 homes across the North West. Start Living is a joint venture between Gatehouse Investment Management, the vertically integrated delivery and rental platform specialising in single-family BTR, and TPG Real Estate Partners (TREP), the dedicated real estate equity investment platform of global alternative asset management firm TPG.

Eastbrook Village is part of a wider 68-acre site that has planning permission for up to 841 homes. Of these, Countryside Partnerships will be delivering 133 affordable homes, 53 BTR homes and 222 for open market.

Ian Hilliker, managing director of Countryside Partnerships Merseyside & Cheshire West, said: “By working with Livv and Start Living we can make sure there is a high quality, mixed-tenure housing offer at Eastbrook Village, giving people a range of affordable and rental housing choices. At the same time, we can utilise the strengths of our group to provide a significant number of open market homes which will be for sale with one of our housebuilding brands.”

Paul Stockwell, managing director at Gatehouse Investment Management, said: “With local amenities and high quality homes, Eastbrook Village is an ideal location for Start Living’s latest site, and as such it is great to have secured these 53 properties for our platform. Having worked with Countryside Partnerships on other projects, it is great to be partnering with a developer that we know and trust to deliver a fantastic scheme.”

Howard Roberts, executive director of finance, risk and performance at Livv Housing Group, said: “We know that the current housing market is tough which is why the provision of more affordable housing is so important. We’re striving to provide an extra 1,000 homes in the Liverpool City Region and across the North West over the next three years and the new homes at Eastbrook Village will make a huge difference to the Sefton area.”

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Kamran Sankey and Gabriela Blukacz

Global influencer marketing agency, 15Talent, has joined the number of businesses moving to Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters.

Founded in Liverpool in 2020 by entrepreneurs, Kamran Sankey, and Gabriela Blukacz, 15Talent works with both influencers and global brands to deliver some of the world’s leading and most successful TikTok influencer campaigns.

The business is growing rapidly, with its headcount increasing from six to 18 staff in the past 12 months. Having outgrown its previous office, 15Talent has now moved to a new 3,000 sq ft studio on the ground floor of No.12 Princes Dock, Liverpool Waters, and has plans to open new offices in London, Los Angeles and Dubai.

The agency’s new premises at Liverpool Waters has been fitted out with very latest, high quality production and studio facilities that offer a controlled ‘on brand’ environment for content creation. 15Talent also offers training and coaching to influencers so they can offer a reliable and professional extension to a brand’s identity.

The appeal of being located close to the waterfront, with all the atmosphere of Liverpool’s historic docks, and within walking distance of the city centre, has made Liverpool Waters the ideal location for 15Talent.

Kamran Sankey, 15Talent managing director, said: “This is an exciting move for us and is an important part of our growth strategy. Liverpool Waters is a fantastic location, it has everything we need close by and is very accessible. We also felt a real synergy with the Liverpool Waters team who have been very flexible and accommodating to our needs, and they also match our energy and passion.”

Liza Marco, asset manager at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome 15Talent to Liverpool Waters. It’s fantastic to see global entrepreneurs from the digital, creative and tech sectors choosing to base themselves at Liverpool Waters. As part of the fit out, we have worked in partnership with Kamran and Gabriela to create a specialist and bespoke studio with office space for 15Talent’s specific needs.”

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CGI of Sandlea View

Bridging Finance Solutions (BFS) has completed its largest development loan to date – a £3.7m facility for a high end, mixed use scheme in Wirral for Starship Group.

The deal marks the sixth loan for the Wirral based developer who will use the funds partially towards the purchase of a large vacant commercial unit in West Kirby, followed by funding construction and development works.

The former M&Co building on Dee Lane is set to be renamed, ‘Sandlea View’, and will include two zero carbon commercial units at ground floor and eight luxury apartments across the three upper floors. Demolition of the existing building is set to begin imminently, and the project will take some 14 months to complete.

The scheme is set in the heart of the affluent town, West Kirby, and the apartments will be delivered to a luxury specification with very high levels of energy efficiency.

Starship is renowned for using some of the latest building innovation and technologies and will be using a whole range of new methods to create this ground breaking building.

Steve Barber, BFS managing director, said: “This is a brilliant scheme for us, marking not only our largest facility to date, but the sixth loan for Starship.

“These guys are seasoned developers and have already created some brilliant schemes – we’re pleased to be able to help fund this latest and look forward to working alongside them as the build gathers pace.”

On completion the development is expected to be valued at £5.35m.

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Littlewoods site plans

The team behind plans to turn the former Littlewoods building on Liverpool’s Edge Lane into a Hollywood-ready destination for TV and film is calling on locals to have their say on the restoration.

Manchester-based social impact developer Capital&Centric has revealed more details about its plans for the iconic 1930s building to include new studio spaces; workspaces and workshops for the industry; alongside a screening and performance zone that’s open to the public.

It has launched a month-long consultation on the £70m repurposing of the whole site, as well as revealing details of the Littlewoods Film & Food Fest – a one-off charity event in the neighbouring The Depot on Saturday, July 15.

Having already developed projects in the city including Bunker and Tempest, it is now working in partnership with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Liverpool City Council, as the landowner, to bring forward the site, with work to clean up the building and prep the site for development set to start this summer.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has committed £17m to develop The Depot – two 22,000 sq ft film and TV studios now open off Liverpool’s Edge Lane – and larger studios in the adjacent Littlewoods building as part of its vision to turn the city region into the ‘Hollywood of the North’.

Kick-starting the consultation, Capital&Centric has unveiled more about what’s in store as it draws up a planning application to be submitted to the local planning authority.

The existing building features three distinct sections – the east and west wings, which are separated by the Hangar, a 1960s add-on. The plans include:

• For the existing buildings to feature spaces such as offices, options for hotel rooms/accommodation for crew, an education facility, roof terrace with city views, as well as workshops and studio support facilities.
• Two new build 20,000 sq ft studios on the site, next to the existing buildings, providing space for big budget productions to film.
• A screening and performance zone set within the existing hangar and open to the public. It will feature four cinema screens, a performance space and a foodhall.

Capital&Centric is also proposing a lush, green courtyard for the community, with a link through to the neighbouring Botanic Gardens.

To celebrate, Capital&Centric is opening The Depot – Liverpool Film Office’s sound stages that neighbour the Littlewoods site – to the public for the first time ever.

The company is staging The Littlewoods Film & Food Fest on July 15. The family-friendly festival will bring the giant sound stages to life, with film screenings, local food stalls, drinks, mini golf, face-painting and a DJ, with two sessions to choose from.

Capital&Centric’s consultation on The Littlewoods Project is now open and runs until Monday, July 17.

Everyone is welcome to a consultation drop-in event on Thursday, June 29, 3pm-8pm, at Bunker, Innovation Boulevard, Liverpool L7 9PW, where visitors can meet the team and have their say on what’s planned.

People can also head to www.thelittlewoodsproject.com to submit their comments online or contact the project team.

John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “Thousands have been through the building’s doors in its former guises, whether as the home of the Pools or as a monumental manufacturing hub during World War II. We want to produce a worthy sequel to that incredible origin story, helping the site to be re-born as a new UK focal point for TV and film production.

“We’re now working up the plans in detail and the consultation is an opportunity for people to have their say on what we’ve got in store. As well as the Hollywood-standard studio building, workshops and offices, we want to make sure The Littlewoods Project embraces the surrounding community. That’s why we’re planning to incorporate loads of creative spaces, such as an educational facility; a screening space and foodhall that’ll be open to the public; and lush, landscaped areas where people can unwind.

“The upcoming Littlewoods Film & Food Fest will be a real celebration of how far the city has come in establishing itself as a British success story when it comes to international production.”