Property round-up: Pair weigh anchor at Port of Liverpool building; and more
PROPERTY group Downing has secured two new lettings at its Grade II-listed Port of Liverpool Building.
Simeon Consultancy has taken The Neptune Suite on the first floor of the building, while existing tenants Wellwork have has moved into the 1,000 sq ft Baltic Suite. Both firms have taken flexible five-year leases.
Simeon Consultancy provides a range of consultancy services to training providers, employers and mangers on deaf and disabled issues, including employment and apprenticeship advice and British Sign Language (BSL) consultancy.
Director Simeon Hart said: “The location, flexibility and character of the Port of Liverpool building are excellent but we also hope that the building’s international reputation will raise our profile and build an awareness of what we’re trying to achieve.
“It’s a big challenge as the vast majority of deaf people in the North West are unemployed and London is around 10 to 15 years ahead of us in terms of having systems in place to help deaf people into work.”
Robin Ellis, senior agency surveyor at Downing, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Simeon Consultancy to the Port of Liverpool building. The recent refurbishment of the building has produced high quality, flexible office space and the Neptune Suite is perfect for both consultancy and delivering training.”
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INSURANCE broker Willis is extending its stay at The Chancery building after signing a new 10-year lease on its 5,000 sq ft offices.
Will Monaghan, lease manager of Willis Group, said: “We looked at a number of other buildings within the prime core of Manchester but we decided to work with Aberdeen Asset Management and commit to a new lease.
“The Chancery provides a great base for our Manchester office and is located in a perfect location for the business.”
Landlord Aberdeen Asset Management was advised by OBI Property and Willis Group was represented by BNP Paribas.
OBI Property partner Will Lewis said: “We’re delighted that Willis has chosen to stay in The Chancery. Our client works very closely with the occupiers in the building and Willis made it clear that they were always happy with the building.”
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MANCHESTER-based consultancy HOW Planning has submitted an outline planning application for the development of up to 2,500 houses on a huge 326-acre site at Barwell in Leicestershire.
The application has been brought on behalf of a consortium including Leigh-based Ainscough Strategic Land, Taylor Wimpey and Barwood Development Securities.
The plans for the proposed new development include up to 2,500 new open market and affordable homes, a primary school, a community hub with local retail facilities, employment opportunities and extensive open space including football pitches, orchards and allotments. In all, the development amounts to some £250m of investment in the area.
Chris Peacock of HOW Planning’s environmental team said: “We have been working very closely with the council and local stakeholders to ensure that the proposals deliver real benefits to the people of Barwell. These plans will create over 1,000 jobs opportunities for local people, both during construction and in the long term, helping to deliver growth in line with local and national objectives.”
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LADSON Group has sold the Morrisons convenience store at Upton Rocks in Widnes to a private investor for £1.2 million, reflecting a net initial yield of 5.4%.
The 4,316 sq ft store is currently under construction within a modern housing estate and is part of a new development which will comprise the main shopping amenity for the area. Morrisons has already signed a 15-year lease on the unit at an annual rent of £69,056.
Ladson Group was advised on the deal Savills and Cheetham & Mortimer.
Peter Ratcliff, investment director at Savills, said: “Offering a strong covenant combined with a prominent location within a new retail core for Upton Rocks, this property presented a very appealing investment, which is reflected in the strong price achieved for our client.”
The purchaser was advised by Keenan & Co.
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HURSTWOOD has announced four new lettings at its Portside Industrial Estate in Ellesmere Port.
The firm has let more than 18,000 sq ft of industrial space at units 1-4. Units 1 and 2 have been taken by Proweld Engineering Solutions and sister company QA NDE.
The two units have a combined footprint of almost 10,000 sq ft.
The new tenant in the 3,000 sq ft unit 3 is SW Performance, which offers engine tuning and diagnostic services.
Unit 4 has been taken by LTG (Cheshire), which has taken an extra 5,000 sq ft in addition to unit 6 which it took in November.
The lettings mean that the industrial estate is now fully let.
Hurstwood has also let an industrial unit at Bersham Enterprise Centre in Wrexham to French Flavour. It has taken unit 16, which measures 800 sq ft. The firm imports a variety of food and drink sourced from small producers throughout France.
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PLANNING consultancy HollisVincent has advised on 45 projects within its first year of practice.
The Manchester-based firm, which was co-founded in April 2011 by Mike Hollis & Hollie Vincent, has advised both public and private sector clients on schemes containing 1,300 new homes, 450,000 sq ft of commercial space and over 2m sq ft of retail developments.
Mr Hollis said: “We are delighted at the support we have had from clients and the wider market place since launching the business last year. Our vast experience of working with many of the UK’s leading local authorities and urban regeneration agencies has enabled us to act as a vital interface between private sector developers and the public sector decision makers.”
Ms Vincent said: “Our first year has been tremendously exciting, we have worked on some of the key regeneration schemes in England and we look forward to growing hollissvincent further over the coming years.”
