Building Briefs: LSH; WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff; The Broadway; Grontmij;Nationwide Electrical; Savills; Colliers
A RECORD rent has been achieved at The Raylor Centre industrial estate in York as demand in the area continues to rise.
The deal will see the 20,000 sq ft industrial unit on the site located in the east of the city leased to the incumbent tenant – an unnamed self-storage provider – at a 50% increase on the previous rent, said commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH).
Matthew Scrimshaw, director of lease advisory at LSH’s Leeds office, said: “Rental growth at the Raylor Centre in the last 18 months has been particularly strong but this is not surprising. Demand in the local market for this type of property is far outstripping supply and The Raylor Centre is unique in that it is so well located, close to the city centre.
“The landlord had many options for this site, from redeveloping it into smaller units to developing its own self-storage operation. However, we’re delighted that our experienced team have been able to support The Raylor Centre in renegotiating this lease, meaning that what is already a longstanding relationship with the incumbent tenant will continue for another 20 years.”
The self-storage firm has operated from the centre site since its launch in the mid-nineties and will now remain at the premises until August 2036.
LSH’s lease advisory team acted on behalf of The Raylor Centre in its capacity as landlord.
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IAN WARD has been appointed general manager of The Broadway in Bradford, which opened last November.
He has more than 20 years of retail management experience behind him, including five years at St Johns Shopping Centre in Liverpool and a year at Stratford Shopping Centre in London.
During his time at St Johns, Mr Ward oversaw a multi-million pound refurbishment of the centre, while footfall during his tenure increased year-on-year.
He said: “I have watched the Broadway shopping centre go from strength to strength since its opening and I’m delighted to have the privilege of coming to Bradford and managing the centre. The Broadway is a true, modern Bradford landmark and I am looking forward to meeting existing and new customers over the coming months.
“The scheme has helped to regenerate that area of the city centre and helped to create a vibrant environment.”
In recent weeks more tenants have been secured, with HMV, Select and Urban Chocolatier, Veri Peri and Millie’s Cookies all taking space at the £260m, 570,000 sq ft centre.
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A BARNSLEY electrical engineering company which launched five months ago has secured the contract to maintain and service the electrical equipment for Bannatyne’s health clubs, spas and hotels across the UK.
Shaun Pursley and Sean Smith set up Nationwide Electrical in November and are already working as the main electrical testing contractor to Bannatyne’s Fitness, which has 65 health clubs and five hotels ranging from Inverness to Eastbourne.
Mr Pursley said: “We both went three months unpaid in order to set-up the business so it’s an absolutely great contract to win.”
Nationwide Electrical has since taken on its first member of staff to help service Bannatyne’s and to keep up with increasing demand for their services, which include electrical maintenance, installation, security systems, portable appliance testing (PAT) and risk assessment.
The company has been helped by the business support programme SmartStart, which is provided by Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC), working in partnership with Barnsley Council.
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THE Leeds office of professional services and engineering consultancy WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has been appointed to conduct a major study for improving 22 train stations in South Yorkshire.
As part of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) framework, the consultancy is to identify the scope of facility upgrades required to improve the customer experience of using the transport network.
The study, which incorporates stations in Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster districts, will identify options for a wide variety of improvements including lifts, access ramps, lighting, shelters, commercial spaces and car parks. WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff is supplying engineering services from its rail and development business, and says it is able to draw on expertise from core offices in Leeds, Manchester and York.
The outcome of the study will be submitted in May, and the SYPTE will use the findings to make funding applications to implement the improvements.
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LEEDS-based engineering consultancy Grontmij has been rebranded Sweco marking the completion of its acquisition by the European architecture and engineering consultancy.
Grontmij was acquired last October by Sweco, which has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.
Today, Sweco has 14,500 employees, sales of around £1.3bn and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
In the UK, the company employs 800 people and has particular expertise in the fields of energy, transportation, environment, asset management, sustainable buildings and water.
It consults on major projects nationwide through its network of offices in Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Maidenhead, Manchester, Newcastle, Peterborough and Solihull.
Sweco UK managing director, Max Joy, said: “Our rebrand represents the next step of our successful integration of Grontmij into Sweco.
“The UK construction industry is resurgent and presents us and our clients with a multitude of opportunities. Sweco has a distinct, intelligent approach to the way it consults which is insight-driven and dedicated to planning and designing the communities and cities of the future. We are confident this formula will prove as successful here as it does throughout mainland Europe and the world.”
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