Harris Lamb celebrates 20th anniversary

MIDLANDS property consultancy Harris Lamb celebrated its 20th anniversary with clients old and new at a drinks reception in Birmingham.

The business, which operates offices in Birmingham, Worcester, Stoke-on-Trent and London, employing 45 people, celebrated the landmark at the city’s Opus restaurant. Among the guests were representatives from A&J Mucklow, one of the business’s first clients, and with whom it has worked ever since.

Director Andrew Lamb said: “It gives us real pleasure to have such long-standing clients and to be working for the same businesses today that we made our first footsteps with back in 1992. Twenty years is quite a landmark, and one that we feel proud to have reached given the economic climate over the past five years and the casualties that the recession has taken within the property sector.

“The market continues to throw us challenges, but a combination of providing great deals and giving plenty of sound advice has given our clients confidence in our work and helped make us the success that we are today. The past two decades have seen us progress from a niche practice to a solid property consultancy that offers broad property advice to clients across the UK, and our job moving forward is to build on that and continue to support existing and new clients and add value to our relationships.”

Former sawmill attracts expanding firms

A RANGE of industrial units situated on the site of a former sawmill in Herefordshire have been snapped up by three local businesses as they prepare to expand their operations.

The Old Sawmills site at Eardisley, which is being marketed by Worcester-based agents Halls Commercial, covers an area of 20.62 acres (8.35 ha). The site includes commercial buildings, yard areas and sites of open storage, which can be bought as a whole or as individual or combined plots.

Kingswood Forestry has taken plot 5, which covers 2.75 acres with a 30,936 sq ft unit, after moving from a farm location elsewhere in Herefordshire.  

The company offers a range of environmental forestry services, biomass, firewood and wood fuels. Using specialised equipment, it focuses on low-impact timber harvesting, extraction and reuse.

Steve Dudhill, director of Kingswood Forestry, said: “We were previously operating out of my farm but, in order to grow the business further, we needed bigger premises. The Eardisley site provides large, dry and open spaces for storage, which is perfect for industrial/warehouse use.

“At the moment it’s just me, but I will look to hire more people as the business expands, especially processing staff who will help to get the stock ready for the peak selling period, from October onwards.”

Tech Trucks UK, which already own plot 6b North on the site, has purchased 6b South (0.71 acres with 13,154 sq ft unit) to create more space for its commercial garage and 24-hour recovery services.

Mervyn Thomas Radnorshire, which provides road haulage services, has purchased plots 1a (2.93 acres) and 6a (1.29 acres). The sites will be used as parking for several large HGV/articulated lorries, a vehicle maintenance workshop and an administrative office.

Charlotte Fullard, senior surveyor at Halls Commercial, said: “The Old Sawmills site has a variety of uses that appeal to businesses, particularly those that are looking to expand.”

Savills/BNP Paribas appointed to let Minworth distribution hub

ABERDEEN Asset Management has appointed Savills as joint letting agents with BNP Paribas, for the vacant warehouse and distribution unit at Midpoint Park, Minworth.

Occupying a self-contained site of 5.7 acres, the 105,432 sq ft unit comprises a ground floor warehouse and two-storey office accommodation, with 100 car parking spaces.

Current occupiers on the park include Cadbury, Hozelock and Kuehne and Nagel.

Charles Spicer, associate at Savills, said: “Midpoint Park is immediately available, fully refurbished and is a uniquely strategic site for businesses with demanding distribution requirements.”