Property briefs: Vinden Partnership; mxData; Jewel House & more

THE Vinden Partnership has been appointed to a new 13,000sq ft warehouse project in West Lanshire where it will be acting as project manager, quantity surveyor and CDM co-ordinator on the £600,000 development.

The project in Skelmersdale is on a fast-track programme to enable completion for Autumn 2015. Bolton-based Vinden will be taking the project lead on the facility, which will provide extra warehouse space for Redwood TTM who are based in West Pimbo, Skelmersdale.

Martin Bennett, regional director at Vinden, said, “The main objective of this project is to create the space required by the client to a tight deadline and to an agreed budget. We have achieved the challenging target completion with support from the client, design team and tendering contractors by incorporating a fast moving design process and short tender period.”

The project team consists of TVP, 3DG design (Architect), Sutcliffe (Engineer) and Aztec (Contractor).

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TRAVEL app company, mxData signed up to Atlas Business Park adjacent to Manchester Airport.

MxData has taken 7,000sq ft on a five-year lease at Atlantic House in a deal which will see the company relocate from Fulshaw Park in Alderley Edge in Cheshire. Eversheds acted as the legal adviser for mxData.

Owned by clients of AXA Real Estate, Atlas Business Park comprises more than 225,000sq ft Grade A office space and is home to occupiers including Cable & Wireless, Civil Aviation Authority, Coffey International and Simon Carves.

Chief Operating Officer at mxData Dave Thomas said: “The new location will provide better commuter access for employees and moves the company closer to Manchester’s talent pool.  In addition we can continue to further expand our city metro apps in facilities which better meet the needs of the cutting edge growth business that we are today.”

Mark Canning of Canning O’Neill, which represented mxData, said: “Despite working to extremely tight timescales, the opportunity to relocate to Atlantic House was too good to miss.”

Mark Bamber at Knight Frank, joint agents for the scheme with GVA, said: “With Pacific House already fully occupied and demand for Atlantic House high, Atlas Business Park has been a real success story for the North West and for the Enterprise Zone initiative. This deal means that 16,700 sq ft now remains available in suites from 1,000 sq ft.”

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COMMERCIAL space at Jewel House in Manchester’s Northern quarter has been sold by Real Estate Investment Partnerships on a passing rent of £165,000 at a yield of 8% to a private investor.

Real Estate bought the property in 2012 and the building features two restaurant/bars and is in a prime Northern Quarter location in the city centre.

Jewel House is a Grade II listed building, originally built as a merchant’s warehouse.

Real Estate has carried out renovation works to the exterior of the building to bring it back to its former glory and is currently selling 14 luxury apartments located in the building.

Steve Slater of Real Investment Partnerships said: “Locations like Jewel House will always be popular and Real Estate saw this property as a great investment.

“The large commercial space on the ground floor gives tenants a great opportunity and we continue to look for similar properties for our portfolio.

“We are very pleased with the deal and consider the investment to be of a high quality in what is Manchester’s up and coming area. Generally, mixed use developments fuel the growth of the local area-both economically and socially and we look forward to working on more projects similar to Jewel House.”

Metis Real Estate acted for Hardy Mills and WHR acted for the purchaser.

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A BUILD  by Oldham-based Conlon Construction in Yorkshire has been shortlisted for a third award.

Conlon’s £6m Blackburn Wing at the Grade II-listed Bowcliffe Hall in Wetherby is up for the Project of the Year category in the Construction Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Awards.

The striking aeroplane winge-shaped conference centre is up against 10 other schemes across the region.

Already the winner of gongs at the regional RIBA (Royal Institute of British Archietects) and RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) awards, the Blackburn wing is a copper-clad treehouse which accommodates up to 140 delegates.

Designed by the Harris Partnership for the Bayford Group, the structure was named after a former resident of Bowcliffe Hall, aviation pioneer Robert Blackburn, who was the first Yorkshireman to design and build a powered aeroplane.

The project completed last October and reflects the stately home’s aviation heritage, as well as respecting its woodland setting.

Neil Conlon, divisional director at Conlon Construction Yorkshire, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed at the success of this project and are delighted that it has been shortlisted for yet another award.

“Whilst we are proud of all our work, this scheme, though challenging, is a great example of what can be achieved through teamwork and innovation with a technically-skilled design and construction team.”