Barings Real Estate, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has leased the 7th floor of its Landmark office development in Manchester to Vanguard, one of the world’s leading investment companies. The move represents the first office outside of London for the investment management firm, which has
GMI Construction Group has been awarded the contract to deliver the first industrial unit at Teesside Airport’s £200m business park. The start on site was announced by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen as he officially opened the firm’s new North East headquarters in Stockton. GMI will begin work early next
Leading flexible workspace prepares to launch its 5th London flex space. Orega, the flexible workspace provider, has completed a new Management Agreement with Thames Estates Limited to create a high spec flexible workspace at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn EC1 in the heart of Midtown. The new space will open
The transformation of a landmark building in the heart of London’s Covent Garden reached a significant milestone this week as The Acre ‘topped out’. This hugely complex project will see a 1980s office building transformed into the district’s largest, healthiest and greenest workplace. The dramatic transformation of the building involves
RED Construction London, a regional arm to the main contractor RED Construction Group, has announced its appointment to deliver Barwood Capital’s multi-million pound redevelopment of Explore, the office building in Richmond, south west London, formerly known as Eton House. Explore is set to be repositioned as prime sustainable office space,
Telecoms business to consolidate its office space within newly refurbished, all-electric 3 Sheldon Square British Land has signed an agreement to lease 83,000 sq ft of space over seven floors to Virgin Media O2 at 3 Sheldon Square, a newly refurbished office building at Paddington Central, which will act as
Fast-growing flexible office space provider, Canvas Offices, has unveiled plans to transform 321 Oxford Street into a creative and inspiring work environment, after agreeing a long-term 25-year lease for the building. Soon to be the 13th in the Canvas Offices portfolio, 321 Oxford Street stretches across five floors, and –
New office for M&G plc sets the standard for sustainable development in Stirling Stirling Development Agency Limited’s (SDA’s) recently completed development at Kildean Business Park has been short-listed for the 2023 Scottish Property Awards in the commercial development of the year category. The £22.4 million bespoke office building was developed
TWO new build office buildings that will change the face of Sunderland city centre have ‘topped out’ with a traditional ceremony yesterday. Maker and Faber, two new offices on Riverside Sunderland backed by Legal & General, will create 150,000 sq ft of Grade A space for professional services firms, as
On behalf of pan-European developer Atenor, Lichfields – the national planning and development consultancy – has secured planning approval for the deep retrofit of Fleet House near Blackfriars Station in the heart of London to create a best-in-class sustainable workspace. Designed by global architects HOK, the project will see more
Barings Real Estate, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has leased the 7th floor of its Landmark office development in Manchester to Vanguard, one of the world’s leading investment companies. The move represents the first office outside of London for the investment management firm, which has more than 900 staff across European offices. The global investment management firm has signed a 10-year lease for the 14,013 sq ft 7th floor at Barings’ 180,000 sq ft Landmark office building on St Peter’s Square in Manchester. Vanguard has been attracted to Manchester by the opportunity to access the exceptional pool of talent in the city, and to add additional operational capacity for its European business in an exciting new location, in one of its fastest growing markets. With this latest letting, circa 70,000 sq ft has been leased at Landmark in recent weeks to Starling Bank, Santander UK, RSM and Xero with only 3 floors now remaining available. Vanguard will join additional global occupiers HSBC UK, Allianz Insurance, Grant Thornton, JLL and social enterprise Change Please in the building. Barings credits the success of its BREEAM Excellent and Wired Score Platinum development to the keen attention paid to technological infrastructure, sustainability, well-being and customer experience. Features such as contactless technologies enabling touch-free movement within the building, a dedicated cycle storage and maintenance hub, high-quality showers and changing facilities, electric car charging spaces and Amazon lockers for package delivery and returns all add to the world-class environment. Ian Mayhew, Managing Director, UK Asset management at Barings, said: “To be the home of Vanguard’s first regional office is a huge coup and continues a very strong run of lettings at Landmark. We’ve worked really hard putting all the building blocks in place to provide an exceptional workspace and building experience. We are pleased this is being recognised by occupiers and we are continually evolving our offer to ensure that we are leading from the front.” Sean Hagerty, Head of Europe, Vanguard said: “We are delighted to confirm we plan to expand our footprint in the UK, and open an office in Manchester. The office will allow access to a new talent pool, and help us serve investors across the UK and Europe.” Leasing agents for Barings were CBRE and Colliers. Vanguard was advised by JLL. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has been awarded the contract to deliver the first industrial unit at Teesside Airport’s £200m business park. The start on site was announced by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen as he officially opened the firm’s new North East headquarters in Stockton. GMI will begin work early next month on the 25,000 sq. ft unit situated on the south side of the airport. Three further units are due to be constructed later as part of the first phase of development, including direct access from the A67. Once fully operational, the business park is expected to create up to 4,400 jobs, and will be made up of logistics, distribution and industrial buildings. Speaking at the official office opening at Cavendish House, Ben Houchen said: “Spades will be in the ground in a matter of weeks and the first unit should be up and running ready for business by the end of the year. Creating more jobs and bringing in rent to help us get our airport into profit. “I’ve always said that whilst important, our airport is so much more than flights to Alicante, and this is just another example of how our airport is supporting local businesses and benefiting local people.” “It’s great that GMI are growing and setting up new offices in Teesside creating good-quality, well-paid jobs for local people. GMI, one of the largest independent construction firms in the North of England and the Midlands, initially established itself at Fusion Hive in Stockton in 2021, but quickly outgrew the space as its staff expanded in response to a pipeline of major projects. Its 25-strong construction management team now occupies 5,200 sq. ft of space on the third floor of Cavendish House in Stockton, which the company itself built in 2002. The Mayor also has a strong connection with the riverside building – having occupied the same space, along with the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), prior to moving to new offices at the airport. Gary Oates, appointed to the newly created position of Divisional Managing Director North East, in January, said the investment in Tees Valley and the wider region reflected the area’s significance to the business. He said: “We chose the Tees Valley for our North East office because of the many exciting developments that seek to re-establish this area as an economic powerhouse and we are proud to have been selected to deliver the first unit of this prestigious Teesside Airport development. “Moving to Cavendish House gives us the capacity to expand our headcount in the coming months and years as we respond to an ever-growing pipeline of work. “I’d also like to thank Ben personally for making the decision to move the offices of the Mayor and TVCA to Teesside Airport and, in doing so, freeing up this fantastic space for a business that aims to be at the forefront of levelling up in this region.” GMI Construction Group has forged strong links in the North East over many years, having built the 450,000 sq. ft Thorn Lighting factory at Spennymoor, and the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (CESAM), part of the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) at East Boldon. It is currently principal contractor on several high-profile North East projects, including 362,600 sq. ft of commercial units at Hillthorn Business Park, Washington, and the 650,000 sq. ft Connect warehouse and logistics scheme at the Integra 61 development, near Bowburn, Durham. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading flexible workspace prepares to launch its 5th London flex space. Orega, the flexible workspace provider, has completed a new Management Agreement with Thames Estates Limited to create a high spec flexible workspace at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn EC1 in the heart of Midtown. The new space will open in early Summer 2023. The 33,500 sq. ft flexible workspace will be newly refurbished to provide around 550 workstations on the 1st and 5th floors of the building. In addition, there will be substantial collaboration and meeting spaces. Holborn Gate is a highly prominent office and retail building comprising approximately 175,000 sq. ft and was recently acquired by Thames Estates Limited in November 2022. The building is less than a minutes’ walk from Chancery Lane station, giving access to the Central Line, and is less than a ten-minute walk to Farringdon Station which gives access to the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines and is a key interchange on the Elizabeth Line. It is close to many local amenities including restaurants, coffee bars, gyms and hotels within a short walk. The area appeals to a wide tenant mix: it is home to many large corporate and legal and other professional firms including Sainsburys, Deloitte UK, Hogan Lovells, Mishcon de Reya and Irwin Mitchell. The Fleet Street Quarter bid is set to transform the area which will only enhance its desirability. The new workspace is designed to be a modern, flexible base for the area’s professional and financial businesses, and will offer brand new: It is the fifth flexible workspace that Orega has launched in London and the fourth in the Midtown. The company now offers flex space from 23 locations across the UK and is the UK’s leading provider of flexible workspace under Management Agreements (as opposed to leases). Ben Hutchen, Real Estate Director at Orega, commented: “We have seen great opportunities for flex space in both Midtown and the City of London, and we now have five flexible workspace centres in London as a whole. This acquisition certainly bolsters our Midtown presence.” We believe we are successfully catering for the demand from businesses who are increasingly looking for a flexible way to occupy property but also require high quality “state of the art” space. We believe this trend will continue with the current economic uncertainty and reluctance of businesses to be tied into long leases.” BH2 advised Thames Estates Limited. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The transformation of a landmark building in the heart of London’s Covent Garden reached a significant milestone this week as The Acre ‘topped out’. This hugely complex project will see a 1980s office building transformed into the district’s largest, healthiest and greenest workplace. The dramatic transformation of the building involves a series of interventions that retain over 80% of the existing structure while transforming its identity and performance. That work includes replacing the current building’s corner block with a taller structure, ‘infilling’ two existing forecourts where there was previously unused spaced with two 10-storey blocks and adding two extra storeys onto another block. The primary purpose of the building will continue to be to provide workspace, alongside new retail units at street level. The retention of structure will reduce the embodied carbon emissions by half compared with new-build proposals and save 4,250 tonnes of CO2. When construction is complete The Acre will boast 240,000 square feet of workspace and 20,000 square feet of amenity and retail space. It will be net-zero in operation with the fully-electric building being supplied from renewable energy sources. Rainwater will be collected on the rooftop and re-used, reducing water consumption by half compared to a typical building of this type. Designed with modern occupiers in mind, The Acre will also have fully openable windows to give tenants greater control of the environment, increasing natural light and ventilation. Over 350 cycling spaces will be available to take advantage of The Acre’s position on Quietway 1, the main cycle route north to south through central London. Eight large terraces will offer green spaces with spectacular views across the skyline of central London. Lendlease Construction is delivering The Acre project, which is being advanced by development manager Platform on behalf of Northwood Investors with Gensler as the architects. The project aligns with Lendlease setting itself stretching carbon targets, including a commitment to becoming a 1.5°C aligned company and achieving Absolute Zero Carbon, with no excuses and no offsets, by 2040. Quote attributable to Simon Gorski, Managing Director for Lendlease Construction: “The Acre promises to be a cutting-edge workplace, designed to the highest standards of sustainability and offering unparalleled levels of wellbeing for its future tenants. I’m proud that we’ve been able to work together collaboratively with our partners Platform, Northwood Investors and Gensler to retain so much of the existing structure and are helping rethink the future of workplace in central London.” Quote attributable to Richard Strachan, Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Northwood Investors: “We’re proud to see The Acre reach this milestone. As Covent Garden’s largest workspace it will not only provide tenants with the highest quality office space in the heart of the city’s cultural quarter, but the retention of the existing structure contributes significantly to London’s Net Zero targets by reducing embodied carbon to that of half a new build development. The team is delivering a new healthy and green landmark for Covent Garden.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RED Construction London, a regional arm to the main contractor RED Construction Group, has announced its appointment to deliver Barwood Capital’s multi-million pound redevelopment of Explore, the office building in Richmond, south west London, formerly known as Eton House. Explore is set to be repositioned as prime sustainable office space, with a 45,000 sq ft transformation. RED Construction London has been selected to undertake the redevelopment, targeting BREEAM Excellent and an EPC A rating, with a Fitwel two-star certification and WiredScore Gold for digital connectivity. The works involve modernizing the existing building, installing an additional top floor of accommodation with a roof terrace, and an external garden of 4,200 sq ft on the ground floor. Other amenities in the space will include 42 cycle parking spaces, electric vehicle charging points, as well as a gym and spinning studio, with changing rooms and showers. The regeneration of Explore aims to provide a more elevated office experience, with an emphasis on creating a space that supports employee mental health and wellbeing. Sustainability in terms of energy efficiency and biodiversity are also a big focus for the new office building, to be achieved through enhanced greening and planting opportunities within external and private spaces. Mark Iori, Operations Director at RED Construction London, commented: “The redevelopment of Explore is a strong representation of what RED Construction London does best, with sustainable construction and functional reimagination of spaces, something our team is well versed in. We will be creating an environment that evolves the workplace, embedding employee mental health and well-being focuses in its design. That reflects our company culture, so we are thrilled to be working with Barwood Capital on this project.” Adam Smith, Asset Management Director at Barwood Capital, added: “Demand for high-quality office space in the capital continues to grow and the redevelopment of Explore will offer an ideal HQ for forward-thinking businesses. RED Construction London’s track record and redevelopment portfolio was a major factor for the company’s appointment on this project, and we are looking forward to watching them bring the new building to life.” The news follows RED Construction London’s recent appointment to deliver residential accommodation within Townsend House, ITC Properties’ £17m redevelopment in London’s Victoria district. Located at 5 Greycoat Place at a prominent junction of the City of Westminster, the detailed fit-out project sits within the wider 35,500 sq ft Townsend House development which serves a mix of commercial and residential purposes. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Telecoms business to consolidate its office space within newly refurbished, all-electric 3 Sheldon Square British Land has signed an agreement to lease 83,000 sq ft of space over seven floors to Virgin Media O2 at 3 Sheldon Square, a newly refurbished office building at Paddington Central, which will act as the telecoms company’s new headquarters. The deal takes the building to 60% let, ahead of its opening in February 2024. 3 Sheldon Square is currently undergoing a full refurbishment, significantly reducing the embodied carbon in the development through retention and reuse of the existing structure and materials. The building will be all electric, including the installation of air source heat pumps, which will reduce operational energy demand by over 40%, well ahead of British Land’s 2030 target to improve building energy intensity by 25%. In addition, new terraces, improving the façade and amenity of the building, will be installed overlooking Sheldon Square. The refurbishment will deliver a BREEAM Excellent certification and is targeting an EPC rating of A. An extensive upgrade to the public realm at Paddington Central is also underway to enhance the landscaping across the site, while works are ongoing to comprehensively update the amphitheatre, revitalising the central part of the campus for all visitors to enjoy. Darren Richards, Head of Real Estate at British Land, said: “As businesses re-evaluate their workspace requirements in the wake of the pandemic, demand is clearly moving towards high quality, sustainable space in central locations with excellent amenities. Virgin Media O2’s decision to consolidate its team at the newly refurbished 3 Sheldon Square reflects this trend, and underlines the appeal of Paddington Central and our London campuses to innovative businesses.” David Walker, Chief Operating Officer at British Land, said: “This is a fantastic example of our sustainability strategy in action, limiting embodied carbon through retaining the original building while delivering best in class space and improving energy efficiency. This fully refurbished scheme is well ahead of our 2030 target of a 25% improvement in whole building energy efficiency and lowers operational costs for our customers.” Rodney Hogg, Director of Property, Facilities, Fleet and Energy at Virgin Media O2 commented: “By investing in a brand new, connected and state-of-the-art office space, we’re creating even better opportunities for our people to come together, work and collaborate. This purpose-built space, just a short train ride from our other major site in Reading, offers brilliant connectivity and impressive sustainability credentials helping us deliver for both our people and the planet.” 3 Sheldon Square is a 140,000 sq ft office building located at Paddington Central, an 11 acre London campus. Situated next to Paddington Station and the Grand Union Canal, the campus benefits from a central London location, proximity to excellent transport links including the London Underground, mainline rail, Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth Line, as well as exciting cafes, restaurants and bars. Virgin Media O2 has a major office in Green Park, Reading, just a short train ride from the new location in Paddington, meaning staff will be able to move quickly and easily between the two core sites when Sheldon Square opens. British Land owns Paddington Central in a Joint Venture with GIC. Prior to this partnership, British Land invested £100 million into transforming the campus including upgrading the public realm, developing an additional office building and boosting the retail and leisure offering. It is home to leading global businesses across technology, telecoms and pharmaceutical industries including Microsoft, Visa and Prudential, as well as restaurant and operators Vagabond Wines, Pergola Paddington, Wagamama and London Shell Co. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Fast-growing flexible office space provider, Canvas Offices, has unveiled plans to transform 321 Oxford Street into a creative and inspiring work environment, after agreeing a long-term 25-year lease for the building. Soon to be the 13th in the Canvas Offices portfolio, 321 Oxford Street stretches across five floors, and – until now – has been utilised as a retail unit with accompanying storage space. The building boasts an extensive history, having been the trading address of oil and colourman artist, John Sherbor, between 1820-1848 – aptly affirming its creative roots. Committed to providing authentic and modern work environments in sought-after locations across the Capital, the Canvas team will now embark on an extensive refurbishment programme for 321 Oxford Street, culminating in creative and inspiring spaces that provide businesses with true value for money and effectively blur the lines between home and work. This latest development follows a series of positive announcements for the Canvas brand, having secured £2.5 million in debt investment in October 2022 to utilise towards tripling the size of the business, followed by the completion of its 12th building in St John’s Lane, Farringdon. Discussing the new lease for 321 Oxford Street, Yaron Rosenblum, co-founder and CEO of Canvas Offices, said: “Since launching Canvas in 2018, we have successfully developed a model that benefits Landlords and businesses alike in sourcing vacant or underperforming buildings across the Capital and transforming them into really engaging work environments, which have been carefully designed to enable businesses to grow and thrive. We are incredibly excited to have secured the long-term lease for 321 Oxford Street and are now working hard to refurbish the building in a 5-6 month timeframe. As part of this process, we always invite potential clients to visit the building and discuss their needs, so the space is right for them and their business, making it their own bespoke office they can call home. Since finalising our debt investment in October 2022, the Canvas team have taken great strides in delivering our growth strategy, with 10 additional buildings forecast to open within the next 18-months, including 321 Oxford Street – watch this space.” Headquartered in Shoreditch with buildings in Mayfair, Clerkenwell, Farringdon and Old Street, Canvas boasts an average 98.4% occupancy rate across its entire portfolio, with growing waiting lists and strong occupier demand. The strength of its demand is highlighted by the success of its 12th building in St John’s Lane, Farringdon, where Canvas had sent contracts out to complete 100% occupancy ahead of officially opening its doors. Underpinned by a growing team of industry experts, Canvas buildings are home to ever expanding businesses from start-ups to Global HQs, including influential brands like Rough Trade, Patchwork, Malin+Goetz, and Augustinus Bader. For more information about Canvas, visit: https://canvasoffices.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New office for M&G plc sets the standard for sustainable development in Stirling Stirling Development Agency Limited’s (SDA’s) recently completed development at Kildean Business Park has been short-listed for the 2023 Scottish Property Awards in the commercial development of the year category. The £22.4 million bespoke office building was developed for M&G plc in Stirling. Providing 77,380 sq ft of Grade A office space across three floors, this striking landmark building sets the standard for sustainable office development in Stirling and the central belt of Scotland. Built on a six-acre riverside site, close to the entrance of Kildean Business Park at junction 10 of the M9, the building has panoramic views towards Stirling Castle and the National Wallace Monument. The building has been designed to BCO 2019 standards, accredited ‘BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and has achieved an EPC ‘B’ rating. It was constructed with sustainability and well-being firmly in mind, with all-electric infrastructure and VRF air conditioning. Designed by Michael Laird Architects, a number of the bespoke design features allow for a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, energy waste and energy consumption, including enhanced thermal insulation and next-generation air source heat pump technology to maximise efficiency. By using point of use domestic hot water heaters, low energy equipment, LED lighting on all floors and high-performance building materials, the property will enable M&G to reduce their environmental footprint. The design of the development makes use of natural light-filled spaces and offers 100% ventilated fresh air delivered to the working environment via heat-recovery air handling units to support the health and well-being of staff. Set in a beautiful riverside location on the banks of the River Forth, the building offers a safe and secure, green and sustainable environment that also features outdoor meeting and eating areas, along with an outdoor exercise zone, a pilates area and raised bed gardens for the staff gardening club. Externally, there are 280 car parking spaces, including 62 EV charging bays, on-site coach parking, 88 covered and secure bike racks plus locker spaces with changing and shower facilities. David Lawrence, Head of Strategic Projects, Europe at Cromwell Property Group and SDA Board Member said: “Our vision is to create an environmentally friendly business park offering sustainable workspace within a green landscape. The new office building is a great example of our collaborative approach to development and commitment to sustainability. “It is another major step forward in the on-going growth of Kildean Business Park and we are hugely honoured for it to be short-listed for this award. “The new building will offer a contemporary and modern working environment, but crucially all set within a highly sustainable office, with significantly reduced operational energy demand. This is of particular importance given the environmental benefits of reduced energy consumption. Stephen Brewer, Project Director of Michael Laird Architects said: “This development has created a new landmark for Stirling. Sustainability has been a core focus during the design and development of this project, to meet occupier requirements for low emissions and a reduction in environmental footprint through careful material specification and high-quality construction of the external envelope to meet and exceed minimum standards for insulation and airtightness. “Strong rustic brick and metallic bronze-coloured windows combine to create a contemporary Scottish aesthetic in this magnificent setting. “Completing this project is a significant milestone and we are very proud of the sustainability credentials it has achieved.” Craig Watson, Director of JLL said: “Kildean is one of the most sustainable and green business parks in Scotland. We anticipate that it will be an attractive prospect for many occupiers due to the high specification, strong environmental credentials and excellent connectivity.” The journey for the successful completion of this project started at the end of 2019 and continued during the pandemic in 2020, with planning submitted at the end of May 2020. Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc completed a £22.4 million forward funding agreement with SDA in January 2021 and the pre-let off plan 20-year lease of the office building to M&G plc was agreed and construction commenced in February 2021. Practical completion of CAT A and CAT B was achieved in May 2022, with tenant CAT C in August 2022. Kildean Business Park is just 35 minutes away from Glasgow / Edinburgh and easily accessible by the M80 and M9 motorways ensuring all that Scotland has to offer is close at hand. Designed as a high quality, environmentally sensitive development, the masterplan is capable of delivering more than 400,000 sq ft (37,161 sq m) of new Grade A office accommodation. The size and use of the individual buildings can be tailored to suit specific requirements, subject to planning. JLL is letting agent for SDA at Kildean Business Park. Further information on other opportunities at the park can be found HERE The full list of those short-listed for the 2023 Scottish Property Awards can be found HERE Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
TWO new build office buildings that will change the face of Sunderland city centre have ‘topped out’ with a traditional ceremony yesterday. Maker and Faber, two new offices on Riverside Sunderland backed by Legal & General, will create 150,000 sq ft of Grade A space for professional services firms, as well as exciting retailers on the ground floor. With the steel frames now fully erected, the two new buildings are already making their mark on the city. Legal & General chief executive, Sir Nigel Wilson, made his way to the top of Maker for a traditional topping out ceremony this morning, alongside Sir Andrew McAlpine, partner at Sir Robert McAlpine, the building and engineering company delivering the scheme; Landid MD James Silver; as well as the chief executive of Sunderland City Council, Patrick Melia. Part of Riverside Sunderland – a mixed-use urban quarter that is extending the footprint of the city centre – Maker and Faber are two key new additions to the city’s property portfolio, that will attract businesses offering thousands of new jobs when they open their doors in 2024. They are part of Legal & General’s £100m commitment to the Riverside Sunderland site, alongside a further £60 million to transform the Hilthorn Park area for new economic development, delivering important infrastructure and regeneration which responds to the needs of the local area, and enables long term job creation. Sir Nigel Wilson said: “These are hugely significant developments that will not only change the face of Sunderland but will deliver a vital boost to the economy in a city that is fast becoming a poster child of urban regeneration. “This is Inclusive Capitalism at its best. With an injection of long-term capital, towns and cities can be completely transformed, and have a direct positive social impact, creating jobs and supporting real wage increases, whilst creating a virtuous circle by generating income to pay pensioners.” Maker stands six storeys high, providing 80,000 sq ft of office space, and Faber at five-storeys high, will deliver 70,000 sq ft of accommodation and has already confirmed that 400 staff from RSA will move into the building in spring 2024. Maker and Faber represent the only speculative city centre office spaces in development in the North of England this year. James Silver, managing director of Landid, said: “It was wonderful to see Maker and Faber top out in style this morning, a milestone moment as construction of these brilliant buildings gathers pace. “Seeing the shell of Maker and Faber in position – the realisation of many, many months of planning and hard work – is a proud moment for us at Landid and in just over a year, we’ll be ready to welcome businesses that will play a key part in regenerating Sunderland city centre.” Sir Andrew McAlpine, a partner at Sir Robert McAlpine, said: “These are two hugely impressive buildings, and seeing them pierce the skyline in Sunderland is a proud day for us. We’re delighted to be playing a part in transforming the city centre with a development that will create jobs and opportunities for local people and businesses. During the construction, we are keen to generate social value for the community, recruiting local workforce and supply chain partners and supporting training opportunities in the region.” Maker and Faber are a key part of Riverside Sunderland, named Best Future Place at the prestigious Pineapple Awards, which will create a vibrant, mixed-use site, comprising 1,000 new homes for up to 2,500 new residents, as well as a range of new places to enjoy – including parkland both sides of the river, and ‘the UK’s best library’, Culture House – and 1m sq ft of office space. It will boost the number of people living and working in the heart of the city, creating a stronger daytime and evening economy by doubling the resident population of the city centre from 2,500 to 5,000 and increasing employment by 50% to 18,000. Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, said: “Topping out is a key moment in the development of any new building, but the sense of tradition and occasion today made this extra special. “These are game-changing developments for Sunderland, and – as these two buildings top out – we move that step closer to realising the impact they will have, not only through the physical change they bring, but through the confidence they will give to our city centre traders who will reap the benefit of thousands more people on the doorstep by day and evening.” Both buildings are being actively marketed by commercial property agents Knight Frank and JLL with Faber already having attracted its first tenant, RSA, bringing 400 jobs to the city centre. To stay up to date with Maker and Faber’s development, visit www.makerfaber.co.uk or follow @makerandfaber on social media. To enquire about space within the buildings, contact Richard Thornton from JLL at Richard.Thornton@eu.jll.com or on 0113 235 5269 or contact Patrick Matheson at Knight Frank at Patrick.matheson@knightfrank.com or on 0191 594 5001. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
On behalf of pan-European developer Atenor, Lichfields – the national planning and development consultancy – has secured planning approval for the deep retrofit of Fleet House near Blackfriars Station in the heart of London to create a best-in-class sustainable workspace. Designed by global architects HOK, the project will see more than two-thirds of the current structure retained, ensuring the preservation of the existing embodied carbon and cutting the project’s environment impact. The new-look sustainable office building, which is being designed to achieve a minimum of BREEAM Excellent standards, will provide more than 77,000 sq. ft. of high-quality accommodation across eight storeys. The City of London’s planning sub-committee unanimously resolved to grant the scheme planning permission today (31 January 2023), following the planning officer’s recommendation for approval. Atenor, which is listed on the Euronext Brussels market, has projects in ten European countries, comprising office, residential and mixed-use. Atenor is recognised as an industry leader for ESG and recently achieved a 5/5 Star GRESB rating, the global benchmark for ESG-compliant real estate. Fleet House is fully aligned with this approach, with the rejuvenated building being designed to prioritise the wellbeing of the building’s users as well as the wider community with adherence to best-in-class WELL principles and biophilic design. Features for those working at the building will include short and long stay cycling parking, high-quality end-of-trip facilities and four unique external terraces – most with spectacular views of St Paul’s Cathedral. A range of new public amenities will also be created including a new pedestrian priority route connecting Bride Lane and Bridewell Place, an art wall, a new 1,300 sq. ft. (120 sq. m) juice bar/café, double-height office lobby with green wall and plentiful natural light and a 4,000 sq. ft (370 sq. m) re-provided public house at ground-floor and part-basement level. Alison Bembenek, associate director of Lichfields, who secured approval, said redevelopment will create jobs and provide a welcome boost to the locality. She added: “This a great redevelopment project with sustainability at its heart. It will certainly enhance the area and will undoubtedly contribute positively to this part of the City.” Eoin Conroy, Country Director UK for Atenor, said:“This is a major milestone for Atenor in the UK and highlights our ambition and focus to create beautiful places founded on sustainability and wellbeing. Our approved plans for Fleet House supersede a previously consented scheme that would have seen the existing building completely demolished and a new one built from scratch. “Instead, 72% of the building’s existing structure will now be retained, emphasising our belief that the adoption of sustainable practices at the design and construction phases is both the right thing to do and will make this building more appealing to future occupiers. We look forward to bringing forward further London opportunities in the near future.” David Weatherhead, HOK design principal, added:“HOK is delighted that Fleet House has been granted planning approval. The design provides a vast array of public benefits, including a new pedestrian passageway linking Bridewell Place and Bride Lane, along with active and inclusive ground floor uses, including a Public House. We have designed a modern, vibrant and sustainable place of work, embedding WELL principles and incorporating nature at every floor. We look forward to this exciting project being realised.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
