Property round-up: Urban Splash lets industrial space; Nikal deal adds up for accountants; and more

URBAN Splash has completed deals on 18,000 sq ft of industrial space in its North West portfolio.

The majority of the space has been let to Move Online Retail – a Manchester-based online retailer of dancewear. It has taken a 9,124 sq ft unit at Thorncross Close, close to Urban Splash’s headquarters in the Castlefield area of Manchester.

Taylor Electronics Manchester has also taken a 3,480 sq ft industrial unit on a nearby industrial site at Bentnick St and in Liverpool Advanced Business Co has taken a 2,967 sq ft unit at the Match Factory on Speke Road.

Urban Splash commercial manager Paul Jones said: “We have a superb mix of industrial units across the North West and in the Midlands, and these units are often overshadowed by the more renowned office and studio space within our portfolio.”

The firm was advised on the lettings by Joseph Wilshaw of agents Altus Edwin Hill. He said: “This is a high volume of lettings and I am delighted that we have had so much activity within the Urban Splash portfolio in the North West.”

KNIGHT Frank has announced it will be relocating its North West team from Lancaster Buildings on Deansgate in Manchester to IVG’s No.1 Marsden Street building.

The move follows the closure of its Liverpool office last year and will see the 28-strong team in Manchester take on the 3,300 sq ft top floor of No.1 Marsden Street from next Monday.

David Porter, head of Knight Frank’s Manchester office, said: “The decision to relocate follows the consolidation of our Manchester and Liverpool offices in July last year.

“This significant change allowed us to conduct a full strategic review of our services and in line with this we took the decision to relocate to No 1 Marsden Street, which will prove to be a more efficient working space in the city centre.

“We are extremely excited about the move, which will give us a fantastic platform to showcase our strengthened regional offering and ‘new look’ team to the North West property sector.”

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SIX teams from architecture practices including Manchester-based Ian Simpson have been shortlisted to provide designs for a new luxury hotel on the site of the former Worsley New Hall in Manchester.

The hall is set to be redeveloped by Peel Group, whose strategic planning director Peter Nears said: “The quality of all the entrants was high, making this a difficult choice.

“We were, in particular, pleased to see the careful consideration of the landscape characteristics of the site displayed by the shortlisted practices.

He added that a recent archaeological dig is currently being carried out on site by Salford University, which has revealed significant remains of the basement to the New Hall.

Nears said the finding would inspire the design work being carried out by the six shortlisted firms.

They are:- Allies & Morrison, Edward Cullinan Architects, Feilden Clegg Bradley, Henning Larsen Architects, Hopkins and Ian Simpson Architects.

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MAPLE Grove Developments has won a planning appeal to develop a new retail-led scheme in Skipton, north Yorkshire.

The company, which is part of Preston-based Eric Wright Group, was given the green light by a Government Planning Inspector for its scheme in the North Yorkshire town’s centre.

The scheme includes four shops with restaurant and café uses being targeted for two new units on the High Street, where the current 1960s building will be demolished.

The project is expected to create more than 150 full and part time jobs.

Clothing company Next has signed up as the anchor store in the 45,000 sq ft scheme. Two of the other large retail units are understood to be in solicitors’ hands.

Planning inspector Harold Stephens backed the company’s plans this week following an earlier six-day inquiry held at Skipton Town Hall in April.

Maple Grove’s application was originally recommended for approval by planning officers but was turned down by Craven District Council’s planning committee.
 
Andrew Dewhurst, director at Maple Grove Developments, said: “We are obviously very pleased that the Government Inspector has backed the scheme. We now look forward to working with officers at the council as we take forward the scheme.”

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MANCHESTER-based developer Nikal has secured a second occupant for its Cathedral Park business park scheme in Wells, Somerset. 

Accountancy firm Old Mill purchased land in Cathedral Park from Nikal on May 18 and work on its proposed 18,000 sq ft office building began three days later.

The building is expected to take a year to complete and will contain carbon-friendly features such as photovoltaic panels, air-source heat pumps, a heat recovery system and low-energy lighting.

Old Mill will join Aster Communities (formerly Flourish Homes) at the park. It opened its 20,000 sq ft office last year.

Nikal development director John Moffat said: “We’re delighted that Old Mill has chosen Cathedral Park as their main office, and that the business park has attracted another high-profile occupier. 

“With over 170,000 square foot of space remaining with planning for a range of uses including industrial and office space, Cathedral Park is now one of the key business destinations in the Mendips.”

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SCREWFIX is to set up a trade counter at Piccadilly Trading Estate in Manchester after agreeing a deal to let 11,613 sq ft of space on the estate.
The firm has taken Unit 22 to use as a trade counter. The letting was arranged by Colliers International, which had previously let units 25 to 28 on the estate to HSS Hire for its 30,000 sq ft Northern region supercentre. It acted on behalf of the landlord, BBC Pension Trust.

Colliers’ associate director Andy Backhouse said: “We now have just two units available on Piccadilly Trading Estate and are targeting further trade counter providers so we can create a strategic trade counter location for Greater Manchester.”

DTZ has secured two lettings at Astmoor Industrial Estate in Runcorn.

Transact Engineering has leased the 3,164 sq ft unit 29 on Arkwright Road, while Bebbington Roofing has taken 3,217 sq ft at unit 42. Both leases were for three years at rents equivalent to £3 per sq ft.

The lettings follow extensive asset management work by DTZ since being appointed as LPA Receivers at the site.

Alex Smylie, senior surveyor at DTZ in Manchester, said: “The estate now offers refurbished units with very competitive terms and we expect to announce further occupiers imminently.”

Industrial units are available to rent from 3,000 sq ft up to 25,000 sq ft.

DTZ is joint agent for Astmoor Industrial Estate with BE Group and Roy Backhouse & Co.