Property briefs: ACL & Well

THE new headquarters for Atlantic Container Lines on Liverpool’s Duke Street has been recognised by the Manchester Society of Architects winning the Best Commercial Building category at the annual MA Awards.

Now emerging from its site, the building was designed by Manchester- based DLA Design and will become the city’s first purpose-built shipping HQ since the development of the Grade II listed India Buildings in 1924.

The Grade A, 62,000sq ft building is being developed by property company and regeneration specialist Langtree, with construction delivered by Wates Construction.

The distinctive four-storey building, which has a BREEAM Excellent rating, will complement the existing street scene while providing a modern and distinctive façade.

A Grimaldi Group Company, ACL’s 160 staff are currently based at Princes Dock but will move into the new HQ in 2016 following significant staff growth in recent years.

ACL managing director Ian Higby said: “It is very pleasing to have the building recognised in this way and we’d like to add our congratulations to Langtree and the design team. The contractor is making excellent progress on site which changes on a daily basis. We look forward to the day when we can step inside our new home.”

Langtree development director Stephen Barnes said: “Our brief to the project team was to create a building that would bring new life and animation to Duke Street, whilst respecting its historic and cultural context.  This brief was further reinforced by the occupier ACL who has been a keen advocate throughout the design process.  

“We are delighted that the team, led by DLA Design, has been recognised in this way and we look forward to seeing the design come to life on the ground over the coming months.”

DLA Design director of architecture Jonathan Knowles said: “We are delighted to see the scheme taking shape and gain international design recognition, through this design award win, for a complex and highly contextual solution. The design focusses on an appropriate choice of materials and component detailing that reflects the location within the Liverpool Maritime Merchantile City World Heritage Site and the Duke Street Conservation Area.”

The project has been supported with £2.82m ERDF grants and £1.38m Chrysalis funding, as a signal of growing confidence in the city’s maritime sector.

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INDEPENDENT pharmacy Well and chartered surveyor and property consultancy Sanderson Weatherall have renewed their working relationship.

Well – formely The Co-operative Pharmacy – will be advised on its 165 northern brances by lease consultancy experts at Sanderson Weatherall’s offices in Manchester’s Spring Gardens, and in Leeds and Newcastle.

Its service will cover matters such as renewals and rent reviews, plus the provision of ad-hoc advice.

The organisations’ partnership began six years ago but lapsed due to The Co-operative Pharmacy’s purchase in October last year for £620m by London-based multinational family-owned company Bestway Group.

A six-month transition period followed the sale, during which the pharmacy organisation was advised by its vendor The Co-operative Group.  

Well’s national property manager Meredith May said: “We’re delighted to be working with Sanderson Weatherall again because we built up a good relationship and developed a very effective partnership with that organisation previously. In a nutshell, the firm has shown that it understands who we are and what we’re about.

“Our business is currently going through a period of rapid change – in addition to the transfer of ownership, we acquired Care4U, a pharmacy chain employing 70 staff at seven sites in Devon, during February, for example.

“It’s therefore all the more important for us to work with suppliers we know we can trust and Sanderson Weatherall certainly fits that bill.”  

Well now has over 780 branches and more than 7,000 employees across the UK.

Kim Murray, an associate partner in Sanderson Weatherall’s Manchester lease consultancy team, said: “We’re very proud of our long-standing relationship with The Co-operative Pharmacy and are now looking forward to delivering a range of benefits to Well at this interesting and exciting time for the organisation, which operates in a highly competitive market.”