Property briefs: MCR; Morris & Spottiswood; Colliers International & more
MANCHESTER developer MCR Property Group has started work on a £1.25m refurbishment project to provide much needed small to medium sized office suites in Sheffield.
MCR, which has invested and developed a diverse range of commercial and residential property throughout the UK, bought the 11-storey St James House in Sheffield’s Cathedral Quarter earlier this year.
After appointing the Sheffield office of Knight Frank and Fearnie Greaves to joint market the site, MCR has set about transforming the 57,000 sq ft building into prime suites with fully refurbished communal areas and reception, new windows and redecoration.
Charles Denby, asset manager at MCR, said: “St James House was an attractive proposal given its prime city centre location, income profile and future potential, with a fantastic opportunity to add value.
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WARRINGTON-based fit-out contractor Morris & Spottiswood has completed a £1.2m refurbishment of a school in County Durham.
Westlands Academy in Stockton-on-Tees is run by the Horizons Specialist Academy Trust and is a school for pupils who have social, emotional and behavoural difficulties.
The trust received a grant from Education Funding Agency (EFA) to undertake the refurbishment.
Morris & Spottiswood managing director Jon Dunwell said the five-month project involved demolishing the east wing of the school, minus the exterior walls, and completely refurbishing it.
Mr Dunwell explained how the building has now been transformed into a modern base for the secondary school’s 70-plus pupils.
“The project involved fitting a new roof and creating new classrooms as well as state-of-the-art cookery, art and science rooms,” he said. “We also delivered a full package of mechanical and electrical (M & E) installations.”
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REAL estate adviser Colliers International has been instructed to sell The Waterfront, a seafront public house and restaurant in Anglesey, North Wales. o.
Acting on behalf of a national pub chain, the specialist licensed and leisure division of Colliers International is seeking offers in the region of £395,000 for the freehold of the landmark property overlooking the blue flag beach of Trearddur Bay on the west coast of Holy Island, a popular holiday resort in Anglesey in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
The two-storey building offers an open plan lounge bar and restaurant with seating for 34 people, a ground floor bar servery, a mezzanine floor with a further 34 restaurant covers, owners’ accommodation and outside seating for up to 88 people.
Colin Siebert, director, licensed and leisure at the Manchester office of Colliers International, is undertaking the sale and said: “The Waterfront is being disposed of by a national pub chain. Its sale represents a rare opportunity to acquire a premier property enjoying stunning sea views in one of the most popular holiday resorts of North Wales.”
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BARDSLEY Construction is helping to source recruits for engineering and construction specialists of the future by providing financial support for an innovative qualification for pupils at a Lancashire School
Greater Manchester-based Bardsley is supporting a two year education programme to promote the new curriculum and qualification called Design Engineer Construct! (DEC!) at level 1 for 11 to 14-year-olds, and GCSE and A-Level, at Alder Grange High School in Rawtenstall.
The course is designed to address a chronic national shortage of young talent in the built environment sector by giving pupils the skills to forge a successful career in engineering, construction, design and the sustainability of buildings.
Bardsley is working in partnership with the School, and Class of Your Own, an organisation promoting the Government-backed qualification with schools and colleges nationwide via a scheme called Adopt A School, along with support from other local design consultants Booth King Partnership.
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LIVERPOOL-based building services consultancy, Steven Hunt & Associates, has been awarded the mechanical and electrical design project for the University of Liverpool’s £6.1m Management School scheme.
Designed by Austin-Smith Lord, the project will be delivered by the University’s in-house construction company, ULCCO, and comprises a refurbishment of parts of the existing Chatham Building, along with a four storey, 30,000sq ft extension.
The new extension will be fitted out with a range of accommodation including ‘case pit’ lecture theatres, classrooms, admin areas, computer suites, a marketing lab and a practice trading floor. Modifications to the existing building include a new student support reception and admin area, marketing and careers offices and upgrades to existing lecture theatres.
The existing building is connected to an existing CHP-driven district heating system and Steven Hunt & Associates will also design the heating for the extension to connect this infrastructure. The company will also design all services to connect to the building’s existing building management system (BMS).
A 10kW photo-voltaic solar panel installation on the roof of the extension will contribute to the Management School’s low carbon strategy and reduced operational costs, with LED lighting throughout to reduce energy consumption and maintenance requirements.
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BOLTON-based builder and developer Seddon has been appointed by Staffordshire County Council to transform a disused adult education centre into a new £2.5m primary school in Lichfield.
The construction of Five Spires Academy will see the complete regeneration of the former Cherry Orchard adult training centre, which has been empty for three years, including a modern single storey extension to the 1970s building.
The primary school will cater for 210 pupils and provide 26 part-time nursery places when the first phase completes in September.
The school, which has been designed by a team at Entrust, a joint venture company set up between Staffordshire County Council and Capita, will be run by Reach2 Academy Trust.
This is the sixth project that Seddon, which also has offices in Birmingham and Stoke, will have delivered as part of the Staffordshire County Council Construction Framework.
Eamonn Burns, regional director for the Midlands from Seddon, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to regenerate this building, which has been disused for a number of years, into a much-needed new school.
“The ability to develop new facilities like the Five Spires Academy is becoming increasingly crucial to support growing communities.
“Last year alone we secured £30m of work to create and refurbish school buildings, and thanks to our appointment to a number of frameworks in the Midlands, we hope to be able to deliver many more in the future.”
County Councillor Ben Adams, cabinet member for learning and skills at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Seddon have a good track record in Staffordshire. We have worked with them on a number of school building and refurbishment projects which have been delivered on time, and to the highest standard.
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CHESHIRE building contractor McGoff & Byrne has delivered the first phase of a £15.7m redevelopment project at Butlins in Minehead, Somerset.
The Altricham company has unveiled a series of new chalets in what has become known as West Lakes Village.
The scheme was delivered on time in 56 weeks and within budget by the privately owned construction company which was responsible for the entire build and fit out.
The holiday resort now boasts 117 lakeside, lake view and park view chalets arranged in one and two storey cluster blocks in landscaped parkland around two newly created lakes.
Stockport-based architect Allison Pike has been actively involved in the project since inception, helping Butlins to evolve the chalet concept to meet the needs of the 21st Century.
Mark Allison, director at Allison Pike, said: “We brought McGoff & Byrne into the construction process, based on their extensive experience of the leisure and residential sectors.”
Dave McGoff, executive director at McGoff & Byrne, said: “This particular project has been a pleasure to work on for the whole team at McGoff & Byrne and we are thrilled with the finish result.
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LOFT and cavity wall insulation specialist UK Energy Saving Experts Ltd is signed up to take a 1.527sq ft space near Preston on a six-year lease.
The family-run company which also deals in boilers and renewable energy is moving from its site in Leyland to 334 Ranglet Road, Bamber Bridge.
Lancashire-based Roundhouse Properties secured the letting.
UK Energy Saving Experts director Tony Pickthall said: “This is a big year for us, as following continued growth and success, we look to expand our operations, whilst also planning ahead for the future.
“That’s why we have moved offices, not only to increase capacity but to be closer to the motorway network. Bamber Bridge is perfect for us, giving us that freedom but also a professional office where we can invite our clients in to talk through their energy requirements.”
Jeremy Lefton, director of Roundhouse Properties, said: “UK Energy Saving Experts is going from strength-to-strength and we are pleased they have chosen our Bamber Bridge Development as their ideal location to expand the business.
Nick Kos from Bailey Deakin & Hamiltons were sole agents for the Bamber Bridge development.
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A BURY law firm has launched a residential prossession proceedings service which aims to help landlords tackle some of the most common legal problems relating to property and tenant disputes.
The services is headed up by Fiona Gaskell, a partner in Clough & Willis’ dispute resolution team.
Her team will check a tenancy agreement to ascertain whether a deposit has been taken and how it is held; consider whether the tenant is in rent arrears; advise on the prospects of recovery of rent arrears; and – depending upon the method of possession proceedings selected – prepare and serve either a Section 21 Notice or a Section 8 Notice.
Gaskell said: “The aim of this new fixed fee product is to take the pressure off landlords so they know they have a one-stop solution if problems do arise.”
