10-minute walk anyone? Picture an alternative reality where you can wake up and be at your workplace, school, supermarket, or sports centre within less than 10 minutes – walking. It’s a choice most people have to make, where there oughtn’t to be a choice at all – do I live
CEG’s 200,000 sq ft EQ development in the heart of Bristol City Centre broke ground on the main construction phase this week, becoming the largest speculative office development currently underway in the south of England. BAM Construction has been appointed to deliver the striking glass building at 111 Victoria Street,
WORKPLACE refreshment specialists, R+R Hub is preparing to expand following an off-market commercial property deal by Innes England. Property consultancy Innes England has successfully secured two new units for the business, which designs and installs custom-built ‘micro-markets’, the perfect canteen alternative, for offices around the country, creating the ultimate refreshment
Fiera Real Estate (“FRE UK”) and Opus North are delighted to announce that construction has started on site at 12 King Street, having received planning permission for the premier Grade A office building in September 2020. The property, which occupies a prime position in the heart of Leeds’ CBD, was
Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has announced that its 180,000 sq. ft. Landmark office development at St Peter’s Square in Manchester City Centre offers occupiers a ‘touch-free’ experience due to a host of smart technology features. Technology forms an integral part of Landmark’s design,
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic progress on M-Sport’s state-of-the-art Evaluation Centre continues at pace. Following an initial 6-week closure of the site, works recommenced in a COVID-Secure environment at the beginning of May. Currently the multi-million-pound facility at the firm’s Dovenby Hall Estate in Cumbria remains on course
The University of Manchester’s procurement process to find its development and investment partner for the £1.5 billion ID Manchester project has resumed. The search was paused in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the four highest scoring bidders having already been notified that they would be taken forward into the detailed
After more than two years of producing work across the city, the theatre and arts venue Contact has formally regained possession of its Manchester site. With construction work to transform the building for the next generation of audiences, artists and young people having began in January 2018, the practical completion has
More details have been revealed on an international conference and exhibition centre set to open at Gateshead Quays in 2023, including new CGI images of the development. The centre will include a 68,000 sq ft pillar free exhibition hall, with the capability to be divided into three smaller halls. Alongside
A survey of recruitment firms by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has revealed that 79% are reviewing their need for office space with almost a third (31%) stating that they will definitely downsize and almost half (48%) saying that they will not go ahead with office expansion plans.
10-minute walk anyone? Picture an alternative reality where you can wake up and be at your workplace, school, supermarket, or sports centre within less than 10 minutes – walking. It’s a choice most people have to make, where there oughtn’t to be a choice at all – do I live nearer work, nearer the school, nearer the park? Bellharbour takes a look at the future of largescale developments, both in and out of the city environment. What is ‘mixed-use’? According to the MRSC of Washington, it’s a development that incorporates pedestrian friendliness and blends residential, commercial, cultural, or institutional uses. Others quote that mixed-use developments are “three-dimensional, pedestrian-oriented places that layer compatible land uses, public amenities and utilities together”. As you can see, the focus is on people and making the lives of the public much simpler. Developments such as this have been growing in popularity, especially with millennial buyers/renters. They allow people to work, live, play and shop in one place, whilst creating a destination for adjourning neighbourhoods. There are two main categories of mixed-use development: Vertical Different uses within the same building Public uses on lower floor i.e. shops, restaurants Private uses on upper floors i.e. offices, residences, hotels and Horizontal Single-use buildings within a mixed-use district Range of uses in one development Complementary and integrated uses that are walkable and within a given neighbourhood However, some developers like to combine the two. This still means 10 minutes of walking distance to core activities. Why mixed-use? It’s proven to work well. An old example is Soviet City Planning (USSR) during the cold war. Virtually identical city blocks were erected across many nations – it’s not going to be like this, don’t worry. But these blocks were built with a goal to get everyone to spend time outside in communal environments, working, eating, and socialising. This resulted in blocks within the cities, where people could travel easily on foot to food shops, places of work and education, and socially interact in parks and leisure spaces. More functionality, and less of a need for transport. This idea fits into the modern description of mixed-use developments and ties in with climate-friendly development design. Multi-purpose buildings/ areas take up less space on the ground, leaving more for green spaces and communal services. Today, examples of mixed-use can be found in a few UK town centre regeneration schemes, but according to Property Week “This approach, which is second nature in cities such as New York and Hong Kong, is only just starting to really pick up steam in London. This is surprising, given the huge benefits that well-thought-out mixed-use schemes can provide – especially from a planning and funding perspective.” We are seeing some areas of the UK pick up the model, such as a redesign in Keynsham (Somerset) to include shops, offices, public space, and the library has seen its popularity increase dramatically – breathing life into an otherwise tired town. A good design will combine social and private rental properties, private sale homes and health, education, community, retail and leisure facilities. Having a mix of tenants is a great way to secure the value and diversity of a development, too. One strikingly modern example of mixed-use on a larger scale is in Podil, Ukraine. This district of Kiev is known for its historical monuments which will be celebrated, and its relationship to the river Dnipro will be reconstructed with new connections. Podil’s new design incorporates promenade features along the Dnipro, with green islands for social interactions. Traffic infrastructure will be integrated, public space will be free to interpretation and the ecological network for nature is emphasised. Usually, mixed-use developments are incorporated outside city-centres but in recent city-centre regeneration projects, they are gaining popularity. This is a great source of profit injection to the local economy and is likely to improve its appeal to outsiders, bringing external economy. The McLaren Group Shoreditch scheme comes with residential apartments, school, commercial and gallery space, sports facilities, and community space. Combined with treatment rooms and landscaped gardens, this type of development really does provide a one-stop living environment to suit all. Is going up the way forward? Bidwells say that there’s a huge challenge for modern homes to hit the mark with offices and entertainment resources in the same space. As such, their redevelopment of Cambridge City station and space in central Oxford has also incorporated mixed-uses. Business Leader says that there is too much retail space in the UK, with high streets and shopping centres. The challenges of providing affordable housing that has minimal impact on the environment could be simultaneously solved by mixed-use developments – improving the local economy and repurposing abandoned/disused areas. The competition for luxury development spaces means mixed-use is the perfect alternative to purely retail or housing developments. Moreover, retail, work, and housing spaces are self-supporting, playing host to residential customers and visitors, who are more likely to return for convenience. Another priceless benefit is the potential for high-quality consumer-vendor relationships, building more of a rounded community. With a reduced need for transport and more focus on walking and cycling, mixed-use developments come with a reduced carbon footprint. There may also be greater availability of public transport services to those stationed further from amenities, workplaces and schools – not to mention reduced traffic around school areas!
CEG’s 200,000 sq ft EQ development in the heart of Bristol City Centre broke ground on the main construction phase this week, becoming the largest speculative office development currently underway in the south of England. BAM Construction has been appointed to deliver the striking glass building at 111 Victoria Street, close to Bristol Temple Meads Station. Raising the bar in terms of quality, occupant wellbeing and sustainability, EQ will provide 20,000 sq ft of occupier amenities such as a rooftop bar, restaurant and business lounge with communal terrace, ground floor café kitchen, 50 seat auditorium, as well as a fitness suite and break out space. The building will provide some of the largest open plan office floor plates in Bristol of up to 27,377 sq ft. CEG will also offer its ‘Let Ready Go’ studio concept, offering fully-equipped internet ready workstations enabling businesses immediate set up, easy expansion and contraction and access to high quality meeting and amenity space as part of a thriving and collaborative community. Over 500 construction jobs will be created per annum during the two-year build programme, as well as six local apprenticeship opportunities. Once complete, the building will accommodate over 2,000 people and will deliver £466 million GVA per annum from direct and indirect operational jobs*. Paul Richardson, investment manager at CEG, said: “We are making an immediate start on site in order to be in a position to offer 200,000 sq ft of the highest quality office space ready for occupation by the first quarter of 2023. “There is an acute shortage in supply of Grade A offices in Bristol and we’ve already seen a record number of pre let office deals in the city this year. We adopt an innovative approach to leasing, to deliver flexibility, as well as offering tenant fit outs, which reduces an occupier’s capital spend traditionally associated with a relocation.” Neil Dorrington, construction director for Bristol-based BAM Construction, said: “This must be one of the most ambitious schemes ever constructed in Bristol, which is a tremendous testament to CEG. “BAM’s early and close association with the development of it over a prolonged period means we can bring our expertise in digital construction and our sustainability credentials to bear even more so than on many other schemes. Our time on site means we can also achieve great social value for the city.” Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “As we face severe recession, contraction to Bristol’s economy and employment losses, news of such a major sustainable investment to bring job opportunities and social value to our city is hugely positive and welcome. “Working with city partners to achieve Bristol’s potential, our economic renewal should be focused on tackling inequality and building a fair, healthy and sustainable city. This type of sustainable development will help us build back better together.’’ Architect Aukett Swanke has designed the building with sustainability, amenity, health and well-being at its core. Targeting BREEAM Outstanding, the building provides photovoltaic units on the roof, rainwater harvesting, efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems, extensive cycling parking, showers, electric vehicle and e-bike charging points and will be connected to Bristol City Council’s District Heating Network. This will help occupiers trying to meet their carbon reduction targets. In a first for Bristol, a dedicated bicycle entrance and ramp from Temple Street to the basement provides easy access to more than 260 cycle spaces, which is in excess of industry standard. Health club quality changing and shower facilities are also provided. This gives cyclists priority on accessing the building, something which will prove even more important post Covid. Luke Schuberth, UK managing director of Aukett Swanke, said: “EQ will be a first class piece of architecture that we have enjoyed being involved in creating. It is testament to a client that has clear ambition and vision and a design team that has a strength in depth and a culture of pushing innovation. It has been a joy to design EQ, to stretch the boundaries of office design with health and well-being and a sustainable ethos that is at the core. The building will increase the energy of the people within it, whilst reducing the energy required to run it. We are delighted that it will now be realised and look forward to its completion.” Designed as a Smart Tech enabled building, there will also be fewer touch points, increased air changes and air quality sensors, benefitting occupiers in a post-Covid world. The scale, quality and flexibility offered by the building, as well as its strategic location close to Temple Meads, opens up significant opportunities for new inward investing companies keen to access the south west market. Jones Lang LaSalle and Cushman and Wakefield have been appointed by CEG to launch the building to market. Ian Wills of JLL explains: “Living costs have rocketed in London and skilled staff are finding it too expensive and over-crowded. Employers are looking elsewhere and Bristol has always appealed; just 80 minutes from the heart of London, it offers a large skilled workforce and great quality of life which help to attract and retain employees. “CEG with a long term investment and management approach is also able to offer a unique Core and Flex model which allows a business to expand and contract within the space. This will help to manage company growth and additional projects, as well as seasonal demand and the effects that social distancing will have on their office requirements.” Andy Heath of Cushman and Wakefield states: “We are confident we will secure a pre-let, not just due to the high market demand in Bristol, but because this offers a workspace that is sustainable, efficient, flexible, healthy, digitally resilient and future-proofed – it will set a new benchmark for regional offices.” CEG has one of the largest office development pipelines in Bristol, offering some 400,000 sq ft in its local portfolio at The Quorum, The Crescent Centre, 1000 Aztec West and EQ. The Quorum has been recently refurbished, and a planning consent has
WORKPLACE refreshment specialists, R+R Hub is preparing to expand following an off-market commercial property deal by Innes England. Property consultancy Innes England has successfully secured two new units for the business, which designs and installs custom-built ‘micro-markets’, the perfect canteen alternative, for offices around the country, creating the ultimate refreshment hub for employees in the workplace. Innes England, which has offices in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, advised R+R Hub that there was an opportunity to acquire the neighbouring property as it wanted to secure the growth of its current headquarters Spanning around 8,000 sq. ft., the two units sit in a prime location, close to both Netherfield and Carlton train stations, and Colwick industrial estate. Currently occupied by polythene manufacturers Flexopack, the units at Pintail Close offer opportunity for future growth for Innes England’s client. With its extensive connections and exclusive access to off-market properties, Innes England was able to acquire both the units for R+R Hub, neither of which were available on the commercial market, as part of an off-market deal with Nottingham agent Anthony Barrowcliffe of FHP. Ross Whiting, associate director at Innes England who managed the sale, said: “R+R Hub came to us with a detailed brief of its requirements and we’re pleased to have delivered on its requests. We pride ourselves on being able to secure off-market, exclusive properties for our clients, going above and beyond to find the perfect site to suit their needs. “Pintail Close was no exception and although the units were not initially available, we overcame the challenge and we were able to strike a successful deal for our client to secure the asset for future growth.” Anthony Barrowcliff, surveyor at FHP, added: “I initially let Units 4 and 4A for the landlord so I am particularly pleased that I could go on to sell the investment. As a whole, there are currently very few opportunities within Nottingham to secure good quality industrial units or investments. “With few assets of this size and nature available, we were able to agree the sale of this property before placing it on the market. There is strong investment demand for high-calibre industrial assets like Pintail Close which has meant investments like this have become very sought after”. Simon Leadley, director of Refreshingly Rewarding Ltd, said: “The new units are exactly what we were looking for when we approached Innes England. It’s not easy to find two adjacent units available at the same time so we were really impressed with Innes England’s ability to secure both sites, despite one not being commercially available. “We’re really pleased to now own three units next to each other, with all the opportunity this brings for the future of R+R Hub.” Find out more at http://www.innes-england.com or join the conversation at @InnesEngland.
Fiera Real Estate (“FRE UK”) and Opus North are delighted to announce that construction has started on site at 12 King Street, having received planning permission for the premier Grade A office building in September 2020. The property, which occupies a prime position in the heart of Leeds’ CBD, was acquired in January 2020 on behalf of Fiera Real Estate Opportunity Fund V UK (“FREOF V UK”), the latest fund in Fiera Real Estate’s programmatic venture series with CBRE Global Investment Partners (“CBRE GIP”). FREOF V UK is targeting £250m of value add and opportunistic transactions and FRE UK are actively seeking similar city centre redevelopment opportunities in the £5-£25m range. Opus North have appointed GMI Construction Group to undertake the renovation of the landmark Leeds City Centre office building which is being developed speculatively and will deliver 54,500 sq. ft. of super prime office accommodation once complete by the Autumn of 2021. The building has been carefully designed by DLA Design to take into consideration the rapidly evolving office market and with tomorrow’s occupier in mind, boasting cutting-edge ‘smart’ building technology alongside market leading sustainability and well-being features credentials. The transformation includes a striking new façade, complete replacement of the fifth and sixth floors, a state-of-the-art cycle spa and two new floors boasting an unrivalled communal sky lounge with extensive roof terraces. The project will bring much needed high-spec office accommodation to Leeds and serves to be one of the most high profile office redevelopments, proving investor confidence in the city’s office market. The project is central to FRE UK’s investment thesis to create best in class sustainable buildings in markets with strong fundamentals, which is more important now than ever. Knight Frank and Fox Lloyd Jones are representing FRE UK and Opus North in seeking occupiers for this game changing development. Andrew Duncan, Managing Director of Opus North commented “We are creating the post Covid-19 contemporary workspace in the heart of Leeds, where technology, open spaces, roof gardens, fresh air, air-conditioning, combined with an exemplary approach to customer service, ensure we are the best-in-class office product in the city. We have challenged our design team of market-leading consultants to innovate and think outside to box to ensure we’re not just ploughing the same old furrow and doing what’s been done before. We have embraced the current climate, rolled with the changes and now we are close to launching the future of the post-pandemic workplace. Watch this space. “ Lee Powell, GMI Divisional Managing Director said: “12 King Street serves as one of the most-high profile and iconic developments within Leeds Central Business District and this landmark redevelopment project is drawing a lot of interest. Having undertaken the extensive refurbishment and redevelopment of the award winning ‘33 Wellington Street’ in Leeds for Walker Morris’ new office, it feels befitting that we have now been entrusted to embark on breathing life into Walker Morris’ previous office in the heart of the city centre and we’re planning on this project being just as successful” We are extremely happy and proud to be awarded this contract and entrusted by both Opus North and FRE UK to deliver the renaissance of this specular building. We look forward to working closely with Opus and FRE UK and the full professional services team”.
Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has announced that its 180,000 sq. ft. Landmark office development at St Peter’s Square in Manchester City Centre offers occupiers a ‘touch-free’ experience due to a host of smart technology features. Technology forms an integral part of Landmark’s design, which is why it achieved Wired Score Platinum certification. Landmark includes a host of features such as: pre-installed ultra-fast fibre connections with Colt, Openreach and Telcom; free WiFi; intelligent destination control lifts; smart building management systems, close proximity to The Loop network, smart access control and visitor management systems; a bespoke occupier engagement app; intelligent LED lighting that responds to outside conditions; and solar panels on the roof generating on-site electricity. Recent research undertaken by CBRE, joint agents on Landmark with Colliers International, states that adoption of touch-free technology and other smart building tools will support new work practices as part of updated occupier strategies. CBRE’s 2020 Occupier Flash Survey, conducted in May 2020, concluded that touch-free technology is expected to be adopted by 45% of those surveyed with 41% reporting an increased interest in buildings with WELL or sustainable features. The survey suggests technology investment was very much at the heart of occupiers’ strategies before the protocol shifts necessitated by the pandemic, at which time 83% of EMEA occupiers reported they were intending to increase future investment in real estate technology and 21% said they were prepared to pay a rental premium of more than 20% for tech-enabled buildings. Ian Mayhew, Managing Director at Barings, said; “Having acknowledged that forward-thinking businesses want next generation office space with resilient digital connectivity, the technological infrastructure at Landmark played a vital role in the design and construction of the building. Recent events have highlighted the importance of providing occupiers with a touch-free experience in addition to the all-important ‘plug and play’ set up when they move in and the ability to work at speed on a daily basis without interruptions. “From entering the building, either on foot through the revolving doors, or by car or cycle, occupiers and visitors have a completely touch-free journey through the building to their office destination in large part thanks to the bespoke occupier app working in conjunction with smart access controls and visitor management systems” Said Mayhew. Neil Mort, Senior Director at CBRE Manchester, continued: “CBRE’s research shows that investment in technology is now an integral part of occupiers’ real estate strategies advancing beyond a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must have’ element. Digital buildings help to drive operational efficiencies and reduce costs as well as enhance productivity and improve the occupier experience, ensuring that the value of integrated technology extends far beyond the immediate health situation. Covid-19 has changed and challenged the way we work, with digital lifelines now more essential than ever. It has also presented an opportunity for companies to accelerate their digital transformation. Landmark is well placed to help a wide cross section of companies enter a ‘new normal’.” The technological infrastructure at Landmark is a key reason high profile companies such as global property consultancy JLL relocated its 170-strong Manchester team to the 10th floor; now JLL’s largest commercial office outside of London, and why strong interest is being shown in the remainder of the space. Landmark offers 14 floors of BREEAM Excellent, virtually column-free office space and was built with an offset core to enable not only large and efficient floorplates but also maximum flexibility to occupiers. This removes a design barrier in any fit-out project and enables occupiers to design their office space in a flexible way, allowing the workplace to accommodate social distancing guidelines if needed again in the future. Substantial private and public sector capital has gone into the transformation of St Peter’s Square and the Civic Quarter in recent years. This has led to a number of major occupiers relocating to the area. Landmark, which has received overwhelming support from Manchester City Council, is the concluding project for the prime St Peter’s Square business district.
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic progress on M-Sport’s state-of-the-art Evaluation Centre continues at pace. Following an initial 6-week closure of the site, works recommenced in a COVID-Secure environment at the beginning of May. Currently the multi-million-pound facility at the firm’s Dovenby Hall Estate in Cumbria remains on course for completion towards the end of the year. The first phase of works comprised the design and construction of a 2.5km test track. This civils works to facilitate this involved moving 200,000 Tonnes of earth, whilst ensuring a cut and fill balance to ensure that no materials needed to be removed from site. Sustainable drainage to the track included 6.5km drainage and a number of balancing ponds to ensure no negative impact on the local watercourse. The second and current phase is the associated 111,000ft2 production facility which commenced in May 2019. The facility is considered integral to the future of the Cockermouth-based business and once complete will safeguard existing jobs as well as creating new skills in the area. Northern Developments’ team have worked hard over the summer to mitigate the 6-week delay and address supply chain challenges caused by COVID-19 closures and restrictions. The building is now fully clad and watertight. All internal pre-cast concrete walls have been installed, and initial partitions to separate the 10,723m2 workshop from its various departments are starting to take shape alongside mechanical and electrical installations. The external concrete road has been laid, and the structural glazing that will form the front of an impressive showroom at the front of the development is now being installed. The project was made possible with investment from the UK Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) as well as Growth Fund investment provided by Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) and will allow M-Sport to develop a one-of-a-kind facility in the UK. Offering a unique centre of engineering excellence, the M-Sport Evaluation Centre was designed to boost Cumbrian economy, skills and innovation in the Northern Powerhouse – the importance of which has only increased given the current climate. M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said: “I’m extremely proud of what we are creating here at Dovenby Hall, and it’s important that we move forward with an operational facility to attract new business and protect existing jobs as well as new skills in the area. These are particularly challenging times for so many businesses, but once the Evaluation Centre is up and running, I’m confident that we can come out the other side and continue to provide for Cumbria.” Commercial Manager for Northern Developments, Eddie Ward, said: “In spite of the impact of the global pandemic, the team on site have worked tirelessly to overcome various challenges, striving to deliver this impressive project on time. The client’s commitment to the local economy is unwavering and we are proud to be able to facilitate such ambitious aspirations in challenging times.” Established in 1985 Northern Developments work throughout the UK, recently completing more than £16million worth of purpose-built student accommodation developments through new build and refurbishment. Currently, Northern are evaluating several large scale private rented sector schemes. Their M-Sport Project has been shortlisted by the National Building & Construction Awards 2020 for Project of the Year in the £10 million to £25 million category. Managing Director Martyn Boak commented: “We continually look for development opportunities, the depth of our experience allows us to look at all sectors and our proven track record of delivering consistently for over 3 decades counts for an awful lot today, the current political backdrop is certainly adversely affecting the real estate sector and Business’s as a whole which none of the Politicians even begin to understand, however we’re agile, opportunistic and open for Business”.
The University of Manchester’s procurement process to find its development and investment partner for the £1.5 billion ID Manchester project has resumed. The search was paused in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the four highest scoring bidders having already been notified that they would be taken forward into the detailed dialogue stage. “The university is committed to the delivery of ID Manchester and our ambition to create the innovation capital of Europe is unwavering. Having paused, reviewed and reflected, we now have a way forward to resume the final stage of the selection process to find our joint venture partner,” said Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester. The final partner selection will be made in the spring of 2021. “We look forward to beginning the detailed dialogue with the selected bidders. Pausing the process has allowed ourselves and the bidding teams space to deal with the immediate impact and challenges created by the pandemic. ID Manchester is an incredibly exciting project and we are looking forward to progressing to the next stage,” added Diana Hampson, director of estates and facilities at The University of Manchester. Since 2004, the university has contributed more than £746 million to the economy and it is on these foundations it seeks to build ID Manchester. ID Manchester has been earmarked as an engine for economic growth with the potential to create more than 6,000 jobs. The available development space is four million sq ft. it benefits from existing green space and the 650,000 sq ft Sackville Street Building.
After more than two years of producing work across the city, the theatre and arts venue Contact has formally regained possession of its Manchester site. With construction work to transform the building for the next generation of audiences, artists and young people having began in January 2018, the practical completion has been reached in a “significant milestone” for the £6.75 million project. “The re-opened Contact will transform the experience for audiences, artists and young people alike. It’s more important than ever that young people from all backgrounds and cultures can come together to create, express themselves, and access free training and skills,” said Matt Fenton, chief executive and artistic director at Contact. “We can’t wait to start to welcome back our young participants from across Greater Manchester, and in due course to host audiences of all ages to experience shows in our unique, sustainably-designed building.” Working with Sheppard Robson, Contact designed the new building to include a dedicated arts and health space. The venue also comprises a purpose-built recording studio, a rehearsal studio, refurbished performance spaces and offices. Since the spring of 2018, Contact’s staff and participants have been based at the Powerhouse in Moss Side and have undertaken their shows and activities across the city. The project has been funded through a £3.85 million investment from Arts Council England, plus generous grants from other supporters, trusts and foundations including Manchester City Council, the Foyle Foundation, the Granada Foundation, Wellcome Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation and the Oglesby Charitable Trust. Help in-kind was given from Manchester University and Bruntwood. Construction work was carried out by F Parkinson, with project management from Mace. Legal advice was provided by Mills and Reeve.
More details have been revealed on an international conference and exhibition centre set to open at Gateshead Quays in 2023, including new CGI images of the development. The centre will include a 68,000 sq ft pillar free exhibition hall, with the capability to be divided into three smaller halls. Alongside this, there will be a 17,500 sq ft conference hall, 10,500 sq ft of meeting and events spaces with views of the NewcastleGateshead quayside, and a dedicated 14,500 sq ft outdoor events space. The £260m project on Gateshead Quays will also include a 12,500-capacity arena, two hotels with 290 bedrooms, bars, restaurants, and other public spaces. In total, the international conference and exhibition centre would be capable of hosting up to 5,000 delegates. It is expected to create about 2,000 jobs, inject £60m into the regional economy each year, and attract an extra 300,000 visitors to North East. A full planning application has been submitted for the development, to be located between the BALTIC and Sage Gateshead, with a decision expected in autumn 2020. “The Quays development confirms the region’s reputation for world-class events. Gateshead Quays will capitilise on a conferencing demand that the region has been unable to meet and showcase the North East’s strengths to a global audience. The new images show just how unique and special the waterfront site is. An events setting like no other in the UK,” said Councillor Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council. Kerrin MacPhie, head of business events at VisitBritain, added: “The Gateshead Quays development will create a huge opportunity for NewcastleGateshead, increasing its global reach to attract large-scale events from all over the world. This development is great for the business events industry in the UK and shows confidence within the market. “The new centre will provide event planners with an exciting option in an already well-established destination within the business events industry and will have a positive impact on bringing more international associations and incentive groups to the area.” International venue and event management company ASM Global has already been confirmed as the operator for the venue. Global architects’ practice HOK is designing the overall masterplan for the site, international conference and exhibition centre and the 12,500 capacity arena, while AHR Architects is designing the hotel which forms part of the masterplan. The project team also includes project manager and contract administrator Legends International; Lichfields, planning consultant; Gardiner and Theobald, QS; ARUP, structural engineer/ M&E and Vectos for transport planning.
A survey of recruitment firms by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has revealed that 79% are reviewing their need for office space with almost a third (31%) stating that they will definitely downsize and almost half (48%) saying that they will not go ahead with office expansion plans. Over half of the 112 respondents had offices in central London. With almost 40,000 recruitment firms in the UK, the research could make worrying reading for commercial landlords. “We will not be returning as we had previously,” said one respondent, a life sciences recruitment firm with over 50 staff and offices in central London and the south east. “In fact, our productivity has spiked with remote working so we will be operating offices in the future with a rota of teams in attendance that will support social distancing. However, with a more productive remote work practice, we will look for smaller offices and rotas in the future.” Over half of the survey respondents (53%) expected to be back in the office within three months, over a third (37%) within six months and 10% next year. When asked about forward planning just over 30% said they were in the process of reading the Government guidance, almost half (48%) had read the guidance and were actively carrying out risk assessments and just over 20% felt that it was too early to plan anything. However, with recent announcements from companies such as Shopify, Facebook and Twitter saying that staff can work from home indefinitely, it is clear that those looking to return are contemplating a different way of working in the future: “We rent our office but I think the way we rent and use office space needs to change”, commented another respondent a technology recruiter with an office in central London. “We need a base in London for meeting with clients and candidates once it is safe to do so and somewhere to meet as a team once or twice a month. Landlords will need to look at how they rent out space.” The recruitment sector has been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis and despite government support packages such as the Job Retention Scheme, 46% of respondents are still planning redundancies. Commenting on the results of the survey, Ann Swain, Chief Executive of APSCo said: “The biggest two cost bases to recruitment firms are people and premises and so it is not surprising that companies are looking to reduce those costs against a backdrop of a significant fall in business and I hope that once we have some clarity on the Job Retention scheme post June, the percentage looking at redundancies will fall. However, what this research clearly shows us is that the age of the majority of staff being in the office five days a week is probably well and truly behind us.”
