Argent’s Taylor departs to launch new development company

ARGENT boss Gary Taylor is to leave the company and set up a new development business in a move which could see him acquire Argent’s interest in Paradise Circus.

Mr Taylor, who has overseen the development and expansion of the city’s award-winning Brindleyplace development in his 17 years with the firm, is to set up a new venture with fellow Argent director Stephen Tillman.

In a statement, Argent said the move was ‘by mutual agreement’ and the pair would continue to work with Argent on certain projects.

Tillman and Taylor will take forward Argent’s existing schemes at Paradise Circus in Birmingham and Ffos-y-Fran in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, supported by Argent which will retain a part ownership in both schemes.

They have secured options to fully acquire Argent’s interest in Paradise Circus and also on assets in Argent’s residential land business which was set up by Stephen Tillman and colleague Robert Bolton.
 
Argent will focus on taking forward its eight million sq ft prestigious King’s Cross scheme in central London and associated projects, together with delivering One St Peter’s Square in Manchester, a Glenn Howells designed 273,000 sq ft building which could be on site by the end of the year. Argent also retains ownership of the award winning 107,000 sq ft Eleven Brindleyplace in Birmingham. The marketing and management of Eleven Brindleyplace will be led by Argent’s Senior Projects Director, James Heather.

Argent joint chief executives Roger Madelin and David Partridge said: “We believe that this represents a natural evolution for Argent, following on from the momentum that has built up at King’s Cross and the current economic climate.  With the recent sale of Brindleyplace and level of investment required by the team to deliver the multi-billion pound King’s Cross scheme, we have arrived at a point in the history of Argent where it makes sense to change how we take our current and future schemes forward.   

“Gary and Steve have played a major role in Argent over 17 years. They have been a tremendous asset to Argent and are the right team to successfully build upon the foundations already in place to deliver Paradise Circus and Ffos-y-fran. We are supporting them in their new venture and wish them every success in the future.”  

Taylor and Tillman have been board directors of Argent for the past ten years and joined the company in 1994. Taylor has led the Brindleyplace scheme in Birmingham since 1998 and has been involved in delivering the Manchester projects over the last three years, while Tillman has been responsible for a variety of Argent projects including Argent’s first two City of London office buildings, promoting the London International Freight Exchange, and Ffos-y-Fran, a complex land reclamation scheme in South Wales.

Gary Taylor said: “The new Enterprise Zone will create the opportunity to maximise the potential of Paradise Circus as one of the most strategically important development sites in the UK. Over the next 18 months, we will be making a significant commitment to creating the opportunity for comprehensive re-development within an Enterprise Zone framework.”   

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