Property round-up: LPC Invest; First Choice Homes Oldham; Port Sunlight Village Trust; The Strand Lodge; Pugh
Property investment company, LPC Invest, has moved its headquarters from MediaCity in Salford to central Manchester due to the increased growth of the business.
It has taken the entire fifth floor of Hanover House in central Manchester to accommodate the business’s expanding team.
The property investment company has gone from eight employees to 20 in just 18 months, adding to its sales and marketing team and restructuring its leadership team. The new location also aligns with its ongoing strategy to provide flexible work options and collaboration for its team.
Lee Chettoe, managing director at LPC Invest, said: “As our business continues to grow, communication and collaboration of our team will be key to our continued success. Hanover House provides an open, creative space for the team to work together and also reflects the flexible working culture that we believe is important for modern working and in line with our clients’ needs.
“Our business has gone from strength to strength in the past 18 months, and the office move marks a big milestone for LPC and its team. There are still exciting things to come from LPC Invest in the next couple of months.”
The office deal was supported by letting agents OBI Property.
James Davies, transactions and asset management at OBI, said: “We are thrilled that Hanover House has been selected by LPC Invest as the ideal location to facilitate their ongoing expansion. OBI’s workplace consultancy team have successfully created a highly motivating work setting, offering LPC Invest an excellent space to draw in and maintain the skilled individuals crucial for the company’s sustained development. We have other fitted opportunities available in the building which are receiving lots of interest, and it’s great to see the building repositioned and attracting forward-thinking occupiers.”
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FCHO Shaw development CGI
Local housing association, First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), is set to transform a former bowling green and garage site in Shaw into a £2.8m affordable housing development, increasing supply of more much needed, affordable, sustainable homes in Oldham where demand continues to outstrip supply.
The investment is part of FCHO’s ongoing development strategy to deliver 1,100 new, high quality, energy-efficient homes in Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside, Kirklees, and Calderdale between 2020-2026 to improve the lives of local people.
The social landlord is in contract with Beardwell Developments to turn the brownfield site off Victoria Street and Farrow Street, Shaw into 10 four-bedroom houses.
Under the deal, FCHO will offer a range of tenures to help meet housing need.
Five homes for shared ownership marketed under FCHO’s Fabric Living brand are planned to make home ownership possible for more people. Five properties for affordable rent will also be available – set at no more than 80% of market rent.
As part of the housing association’s drive to build sustainable homes which are fit for the future, all properties are designed to be highly energy efficient through a ‘fabric first’ approach and achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) B rating to help customers keep bills and carbon emissions down.
The project has received £515,000 grant funding from Homes England. Construction is under way and homes are due for completion in winter 2023.
FCHO’s director of development, Joel Owen, said: “High house prices and a shortage of affordable options mean many local buyers face difficulty getting onto the property ladder. By building a variety of property types and offering a choice of tenures we want to help local people secure the quality homes they need.
“Important, too, is our brownfield first approach, bringing derelict sites into residential use and enhancing the local area for residents.”
FCHO currently has 421 homes in progress with construction partners at 14 developments in Oldham, Rochdale, and Kirklees. In this financial year, the housing association is set to start a further 169 homes on site and complete 188 for shared ownership and affordable rent to help meet growing demand.
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Port Sunlight Village properties
Port Sunlight Village Trust, a heritage conservation organisation, has awarded property services business Liberty a contract for electrical inspection and condition reports (EICR).
The one-year contract will see the business inspect and test electrical installations across 68 Grade II-listed properties in the Wirral.
Lawrence Gilsenan, Liberty’s regional director for the North West, said: “The unique combination of Grade II-listed properties and the critical role of electrical testing and inspections makes this contract particularly interesting.
“It showcases the commitment of Port Sunlight Village Trust to preserving its historical heritage while ensuring the continued safety and wellbeing of its residents.”
Lin Whalley, director of operations at Port Sunlight Village Trust, said: “As custodians of Port Sunlight and a private landlord, it is important the electrical systems in the buildings we care for in this unique village continue to be safe and sound. We’re confident in Liberty’s expertise to help safeguard our properties for many more years to come.”
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The Strand Lodge
A former busy hotel in Blackpool that used to be known as one of the seaside resort’s ‘best kept secrets’ is appearing in Bond Wolfe’s livestreamed auction next month.
The Strand Lodge at 5-6 Wilton Parade is in the slightly calmer and picturesque North Shore end of town and will have an attractive guide price of £75,000 in the auction on September 14.
Gurpreet Bassi, chief executive of Bond Wolfe, aid the property, which is less than 100 metres from the promenade, currently has 22 en suite guest bedrooms, with an additional two-bedroom owner’s flat.
Mr Bassi said: “The Strand Lodge had, in recent years, been awarded Blackpool’s Hotel of the Year trophy and was often described in local guides as the resort’s ‘best kept secret’.
“The freehold property is still licensed as a hotel, although with a floor area of well over 9,000 sq ft it may be suitable for redevelopment to a house in multiple occupation, self-contained holiday flats or a variety of other uses, subject to planning permission.”
The substantial detached property has a hallway on the ground floor leading to a reception area with rear office, a guest lounge with a feature exposed brick fireplace and upholstered seating.
There is also a sun lounge area with chandelier lighting, organ and seating for guests, a bar lounge with elevated seating area, plus nearby ladies, gents and disabled toilets.
There is then an open plan dining room with feature exposed brickwork, a kitchen with a range of commercial catering equipment and utensils, a utility or office room and a cloakroom/store.
The private accommodation, previously occupied by the owners, provides a lounge, two bedrooms and a shower room with toilet.
The first floor has 10 ensuite bedrooms, one with a corner bath, and the second floor has another 12 ensuite bedrooms, with central heating and double glazing throughout.
Mr Bassi added: “Outside there is seating area to the front with impressive sea views, and then a car park with space for 14 vehicles to the rear. The property is just five minutes from the town centre, the tower, theatres and nightlife.
“While The Strand Lodge may be suitable for a variety of uses, any interested parties should make their own enquiries to Blackpool Council’s planning department.”
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Artist’s impression of Bowker Bank scheme
A 13.5-acre site in north Manchester which has planning consent to build 76 three- and four-bedroom homes is to be auctioned next month in Pugh’s online property sale, with a guide price of £1.5m.
The land, between Crumpsall and Blackley, is bounded by the River Irk and is the site of a former reservoir and the former Bowker Bank industrial estate.
Planning permission for 48 homes was granted in 2012, with proposals for a further 28 homes given the green light by city planners in 2014.
Known as Blackley Mere, the site is, as yet, undeveloped and it is now being put up for auction by the landowner.
Edward Feather, associate director at property auctioneer Pugh, said: “This is an ideal location to develop family homes. The quiet riverside and woodland environment make it a really attractive setting for new houses that is only half a mile from the nearest Metrolink stop at Bowker Vale and just four miles from Manchester city centre.
“It’s a fantastic investment opportunity and, not surprisingly, we’ve already seen considerable interest from potential buyers.”
