Property round-up: Bruntwood; MM Management; Talbot Gateway; Meritec; H&H Insurance Brokers; Landwood Group; Pugh
Bruntwood has completed a comprehensive refurbishment of Halyard Court, unlocking a rare opportunity for a business to occupy a standalone building within walking distance of thriving MediaCity.
Situated within Bruntwood’s Chandler’s Point development in Salford Quays, the three-story building has been fully refurbished to provide 8,846 sq ft of premium, self-contained workspace.
Halyard Court’s modern and airy refurbishment features double height ceilings revealing striking steel beams and exposed services including contemporary air con and pendant lighting, all nodding to the industrial heritage of the area.
Designed and delivered by the award-winning teams at Bruntwood and CubicWorks, Halyard Court offers panoramic views that stretch across to MediaCity.
The newly refurbished space features shower facilities, ample onsite parking and an outdoor grassed seating area within newly landscaped grounds. The building also represents a unique opportunity to brand a standalone building on one of the area’s main thoroughfares.
Based in close proximity to local shops, bars and restaurants, and well connected to transport links across the city, Halyard Court is adjacent to Metrolink stations Anchorage and Harbour City and a five-minute walk from MediaCity, Manchester’s premium waterside digital hub for broadcast and tech businesses.
Chandler’s Point is a secure, gated development on Broadway in Salford Quays, a one minute drive from Regent Road – one of the main arterial routes into Manchester – and a 10 minute drive from the city centre. It is already home to a broad range of companies, including occupational health service provider Medigold Health, S Kershaw & Sons Chartered Surveyors and CubicWorks.
CubicWorks is a construction, fit-out and refurbishment firm and one of Bruntwood’s primary partners in delivering world class workspaces.
Bruntwood’s network of integrated communities stretches across Greater Manchester, with Halyard Court close to Bruntwood’s flexible workplaces Lancastrian and Trafford House in Old Trafford.
Sharon Johnson, head of commercial at Bruntwood, said: “The refurbishment of Halyard Court cements our commitment to continually upgrading and re-evaluating our diverse portfolio to ensure we can deliver state-of-the-art workspaces for our growing network of customers.
“Bringing forward a self-contained workspace of such high calibre within the Salford Quays area is a rare opportunity for businesses looking to secure a modern, Grade A headquarters in one of Manchester’s most iconic districts. We’re excited to show off the space’s brand new facilities and look forward to welcoming new customers to Chandler’s Point and the wider Bruntwood community.”
JLL and Canning O’Neill are the letting agents for Halyard Court.
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From left: Chris Hextall, Andrew Farrell, Marc Darné, Sandy Black
Construction consultancy, MM Management, has opened its first office, choosing Wigan as its base.
The company, which was established in 2019, has opened its first office at Elizabeth House in Wigan Pier Quarter next to the town centre, taking 1,000 sq ft to accommodate its growing team. MM Management currently employs nine people and has grown significantly over the past two years, thanks to a number of high profile projects in the region.
The company is currently working as employer’s agent and quantity surveyor on the £130m regeneration of Wigan Galleries, working closely with Wigan Council and developer Cityheart. It is also working on projects with national developer Moda, including New Garden Square in Birmingham and CityRise Interchange Homes on the development of Stockport Interchange.
Director and head of the North West office, Chris Hextall, said: “We are incredibly focused on ensuring we have a specialist team of highly experienced construction consultants and securing the office space in Wigan provides us with the space needed for our continued expansion in the region.”
Cllr David Molyneux, leader of Wigan Council, said “Chris and his team are working on the Galleries redevelopment, a hugely exciting and important project for our town and it’s great to welcome them to Elizabeth House, part of the Wigan Metropolitan Development Company (WMDC). The WMDC provides affordable office and industrial space in Wigan borough, enabling us to create places for companies to make and grow their home here.”
MM Management managing director Michael Beverley said: “MM Management currently has a pipeline of projects totalling in excess of £285m construction value that are located across the country from Glasgow down to Kingston. The connectivity that Wigan has to the rest of the UK due to the West Coast Main Line is a huge draw for us as we have also have employees based in Glasgow.”
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CGI of Talbot Gateway
More than 5,000 sq ft of retail space has been released as part of Blackpool Council’s £350m Talbot Gateway development.
The units sit at the ground level of the 144-bedroom Holiday Inn hotel and surround the new tram terminal. The development includes a new underpass connecting passengers from Blackpool North train station with the new tramway extension which links to the town centre and Blackpool Promenade.
The Station View retail units are set to be available from Easter 2024, with units ranging from 400 sq ft to 1,800 sq ft in size, with mains water and electric, alongside telecoms and data access. The units have planning permission for Class E retail use with the high volume of passing traffic offering options for food to go and convenience retailers.
In addition to the five retail units underneath the Holiday Inn, two additional units are also available underneath the nearby main Blackpool Council offices which sit within the Talbot Gateway development.
More than two million visitors passed through Blackpool North train station in 2022, with the number expected to increase as a result of future phases of the Talbot Gateway development.
Construction on a £100m Civil Service Hub which will provide a regional home for the Government is under way, with an estimated 3,000 professional workers relocating to Blackpool town centre when it opens in early 2025. Land acquisition for the £65m Multiversity campus is also taking place which will provide a new home for Blackpool and the Fylde College, bringing more than 2,000 students and staff to the area.
Cllr Mark Smith, cabinet member for Levelling Up (Place) at Blackpool Council, said: “The scale of regeneration in Blackpool right now is incredible and we’re proudly boasting about our £2bn growth and prosperity programme.
“At the Talbot Gateway, progress is being made on three major phases to regenerate the area around the train station which will bring thousands of professional workers and students into the area every day, while the tramway extension and underpass make it much more accessible to reach Blackpool Promenade and all our major attractions by rail.”
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Meritec Burnley team, Alex, James, Adam
Technology, software and automation services company, Meritec, is expanding into Lancashire with new office space at well known business hub, Burnley Landmark.
Specialising in delivering unique digital transformation, business process outsourcing and e-awareness solutions, this is the third site launch for the company and joins its Skipton HQ and Warrington locations.
A new sales team has been put in place to support the expansion with Alex Abbey at the helm as head of sales and marketing, who brings more than 20 years’ experience in sales. Meritec has a large number of its 77-strong team living in the area and the new office perfectly positions the company for growth in the county.
Meritec managing director, Adam Wilkinson, said: “Burnley is a thriving town with lots of opportunities for growth and having this new base will ensure we can continue to expand and pursue new business opportunities for both the private and public sector.
“We’ve been keen to put roots in the Red Rose County for some time now and it already feels like home having worked with some incredible businesses and joined some inspiring community initiatives, too.”
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Paul Graham (left) with Ryan Fieldston
H&H Insurance Brokers, which serves clients across the North of England, Wales and the Scottish Borders, has opened its refurbished headquarters in Carlisle.
Managing director, Paul Graham, said: “The feedback from the team has been brilliant and I can already see that it will change the way we work by creating a more collaborative approach to working across the team.
“Our ambition now is to build on the investment in the refurbishment and to use it as a springboard to grow and evolve H&H Insurance Brokers over the next few years.”
The work at the headquarters was carried out by Eco Group’s projects division, which operates across the UK from its offices in Annan and Carlisle.
Ryan Fieldston, project manager for Eco Projects, said: “People often don’t realise how much space they have in a property. Businesses might have people working in different small offices but when they open it out they often can’t believe how much space they have. It means they don’t need to move offices to create a completely different environment.”
As well as its HQ in Carlisle, H&H Insurance Brokers has offices in Durham, Newtown St Boswells in the Scottish Borders, and at Wrexham and Ruthin in North Wales.
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Bulstrode Park
A stunning 17th century estate where TV show Midsomer Murders and films Maleficent and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were filmed, has hit the market, with a £6m valuation.
Manchester-based Landwood Group has been appointed as joint agents to sell Bulstrode Park in sought-after Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.
The huge manor dates back to 1686 and is the home of infamous Judge Jeffreys.
Known as the ‘Hanging Judge’, Jeffreys served as Lord Chancellor under King James II in the 17th century and died at the countryside estate in 1709.
The historic manor, just 40 minutes from central London, boasts almost 40 acres of land and 12 separate buildings, including a Grade II-listed Pigeon Tower.
Landwood Group has been appointed as joint agents on behalf of the liquidator, Bridgestones in Oldham.
Bulstrode Park was once owned by the 12th Duke of Somerset, Edward Seymour, who commissioned the mansion to be completed in 1865, and became Bulstrode Park Military Hospital during World War I. More than 260 patients were treated in 52 beds before it closed in December 1915 and used as the training headquarters for the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during World War II.
The huge manor was then used for research and later bought by two Christian organisations and eventually sold to a homeowner in 2013 who secured planning permission to be converted into a luxury hotel with 43 rooms, including Royal Suites, a 120-cover restaurant, and spa.
Amy Selfe, senior surveyor at Landwood Group, said: “This huge estate with an incredible history and picturesque location has so much potential. It is set in beautiful countryside, just 40 minutes from central London and could be turned into anything from a hotel to a luxury care home to a family home for one very lucky resident.
“Driving its marketability is its incredible history, the number of potential opportunities and the Gerrards Cross location. There is no doubt that Bulstrode Park will be snapped up in a matter of weeks.”
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The Pennine Hotel
The Pennine Hotel, a six-room guest house, bar and bistro in Kirkby Stephen market square, has been put up for auction with a guide price of £300,000.
The prominently located hotel, which was popular with walkers on the Coast to Coast route and regularly sparked glowing reviews on Facebook and other sites for the quality of its food and accommodation, will appear in an online auction held on July 19, by property auctioneer Pugh.
As well as six ensuite guest bedrooms and a large restaurant and bar area, the Pennine Hotel also includes a two-bedroom apartment at the rear of the building.
Edward Feather, an associate director at Pugh, said: “The hotel is in a terrific location, right in the centre of the picturesque market town of Kirkby Stephen, close to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales national parks and just a stone’s throw from the M6 motorway.
“The town is a natural stop off point for the 6,000 or so walkers who tackle the 200-mile Coast to Coast route every year and it is set to benefit from the £5.6m that the Government have committed to upgrade the route to a new National Trial by 2025.
“This is a great opportunity to buy a hotel that has a superb reputation and is a thriving business, or potentially to redevelop the property for new uses, subject to gaining the relevant planning consents.”
