Commercial Property News

J&E; Shepherd Chartered Surveyors has been appointed by Land Securities Trillium to let a five storey town centre office block in Dumfries.

Located at 122-124 Irish Street, which runs parallel with the pedestrianised High Street in Dumfries town centre, the office is situated within a readily accessible location with on street parking available immediately adjacent to the unit and a number of free public car parks within a short walking distance. There are 19 open air car parking spaces at the rear of the building.

Ian Young, an Associate at J&E; Shepherd, said, "The total net internal office area is 15,000 sq ft and consideration will be given to letting individual floors within the building to meet smaller space requirements.

"The building has a small reception facility and a secure car garage on the ground floor, with the majority of the office accommodation being located on the upper floors. The property is available by way of a new lease for a minimum term of five years."

Rental offers in excess of £100,000 per annum are invited, which equates to a rate of £6.63 per sq ft. For the avoidance of doubt, the unit is not currently being offered for sale.

The Manchester office of Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has undertaken a number of transactions on behalf of Ashtead Plant Hire Co Ltd (A-Plant) as part of the company's strategy for expansion of its operations to meet customer demand.

This has resulted in a flurry of acquisitions including leasing 6,000 sq ft at Egremont in Cumbria, a pre-let of 10,000 sq ft in Leyland, Preston and the acquisition of 30,000 sq ft at Sharston, Manchester.

All these premises were acquired on lease terms to suit A-Plant's model.

Elsewhere in the country LSH has acquired further premises for A-Plant in Hull, Coventry, Southampton and Oxford.

For fire protection specialists Walker Fire, Ryden has sold surplus units 2, 3 & 4 at Brocks Way, East Mains Industrial Estate in West Lothian to Fleet Factors for £454,500.

The accommodation, known as block 3 Brocks Way, totals 7,005 sq ft of industrial space and warehousing.

Gordon Archibald, of Ryden, said: "I am pleased to announce this deal as sales of industrial property are relatively rare in the current climate. It also shows that Broxburn is an increasingly popular location for business."

Fleet Factors, which provides parts to the haulage industry, was self-represented.

Scotland's leading workspace specialist has appointed five new staff as part of its continued expansion across the Central Belt.

Directors at Space Solutions are delighted with the new talent they have attracted to further strengthen the architecture and design expertise with the 130-strong team.

The recruitment comes as the firm has continued to invest heavily in ongoing staff development, with a series of promotions and successful project wins, bucking the trend in perceived market conditions.

Director Derek Binnie said: "The success of a business can partly be measured by the quality of the people it attracts. We are delighted to welcome five talented new people to the operation.

"Our continued growth also depends on getting the best out of our existing staff. So we are also extremely pleased that other colleagues are celebrating new landmarks with the company."

The key staff changes and developments include:

- William Campbell, who has been recruited as an architectural technician in the Glasgow office with extensive experience in both public and commercial sectors

- Mhairi Kennedy, another new appointment in Glasgow, where she will be an interior designer and technical space planner working specifically on workplace analysis and estate strategy projects.

- Richard Gray, has joined the Glasgow team as a relocations manager. Richard brings a wealth of experience in move planning and management and compliments an expanding department.

- Mary McKinnon, has joined the firm's Edinburgh office as an interior designer. She has been working in the industry for eight years.

- Stuart Gough, joins as an experienced architectural assistant in the Edinburgh office and will work towards his full architectural qualifications with the company.

In addition to recent appointments a number of key staff are benefiting from the companies support to continuous professional development:

- Stuart Foster, who has been with Space Solutions in Aberdeen for two years and launched the company's Sustainability Services, became a certified BREEAM assessor.

- Steve Smith, an architect in the Aberdeen office has celebrated completion of a Masters Degree in Architecture, gaining him Part 2 RIBA status.

- Michael Gerrie, an architectural technician in Aberdeen, was appointed a member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.

Space Solutions helps businesses deal with major changes to their workplaces by designing, building, fitting out, refurbishing and relocating modern and productive business environments.

It operates UK-wide from bases in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Peterborough and has enjoyed significant growth since a 2007 management buy-out.

Derek Binnie said: "The company was founded in Aberdeen and our objective is to further strengthen our reputation there, while increasingly building our business profile in the Central Belt.

"With this raft of staff appointments and developments we have underlined our determination to succeed on both those fronts, and taken important steps to ensuring our long-term future."

In another important internal development 22 staff from Edinburgh and Glasgow took part in a team building day with the renowned management training experts, Future Factory.

They included Hannah Laidlaw, a newly-appointed receptionist at the company, who said: "I think it is great Space Solutions has really made the commitment to encourage a team working. The Future Factory session showed us how to communicate better and support one another and we're continuing to keep this going in the workplace."

Derek Binnie confirmed the firm will continue to look at new ways of enhancing Space Solutions as a rewarding and motivated place to work.

He said: "We are also looking at ways we can improve staff morale and make the workplace a happier and more productive place.

"It is very important to us to continually watch our staff evolve. This is a notoriously difficult industry to recruit and retain good people and we have certainly pulled together a good group at Space Solutions and we intend to build on that."

Sanderson Weatherall, working closely with master planning architect, IDP (Ian Darby Partnership), has recently announced that outline planning permission has been secured for the development of a mixed-use scheme in Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, subject to meeting the final conditions of the Highways Agency.

Occupying a prime 45hectare brownfield site close to the A19, JG Land & Estates will now take forward a comprehensive programme of development to create Allens West - providing 120,000 sq ft of industrial accommodation, 2,500 sq ft of retail space, 500 homes and care home and community facilities.

IDP was appointed to the scheme in September 2006. In order to reach this positive stage in the site's development, IDP has reviewed current usage, which includes a range of warehousing, office and storage facilities, and has considered the site in the context of its setting along with reviewing the needs of the local community. In addition to this, IDP also undertook public consultations which were positively received.

According to partner, Roger Copestake, IDP's appointment stemmed from its local knowledge and understanding of regional requirements, especially in relation to meeting Stockton Borough Council's planning parameters - key attributes when developing a significant regeneration site of this type. He said:

"We were tasked with delivering a robust design guide which would ensure that, any future development on the site would not only be safe and sustainable, but easy to implement. On this occasion we have achieved this by way of a rigorous assessment of the existing site's context to its immediate surroundings, current uses and close involvement with the existing community through a consultation process and best practice evaluation practices. In addition to this I believe that our considered, design led, approach, rather than retrospective justification of a pre-determined solution, have all contributed to the local authority's decision to grant outline planning consent."

Sanderson Weatherall which acted as planning consultant for this major development will now market the speculative scheme going forward. Sean Hedley, director of planning services at Sanderson Weatherall, added: "This is fantastic news for the region, ensuring plans for a first class mixed-use scheme are brought to life for the benefit of the surrounding community.

"On completion, this development will undoubtedly create a number of jobs thanks to the new business space on offer. The industrial offering will bring a much needed, flexible supply of accommodation to occupiers looking to establish themselves in this prime location."

John Jowitt, planning director at JG Land & Estates added: "We are delighted that our vision for Allens West is now becoming a reality and are ready to drive this forward to bring our masterplan to life. We have worked hard to put together a high quality, well designed and sustainable scheme which will transform the site and bring numerous benefits to the local community for many years to come."

Five railway stations are set to benefit from Scotland's share of a major GB-wide scheme to improve access to rail services.

Scotland's £39 million share of the Access for All fund, administered by the Department for Transport, will ensure that more disabled people have trouble-free access to stations across the country, said Mr Stevenson.

Network Rail will now conduct detailed feasibility work at Easterhouse, Hyndland, Linlithgow, Montrose and Perth stations, which could result in improvements such as new lifts, escalators, ramps, signage, lighting and flooring being installed.

The announcement comes following a recommendation by Scottish Ministers to fund the improvements as part of the Access for All fund.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said :

"We want to continue to see rises in the number of people using rail as a mode of transport, and so we must ensure that all passengers have trouble-free access to Scotland's rail services.

"This funding will deliver key improvements, making it easier for disabled passengers, parents with prams and even those with heavy luggage to get around our train stations.

"We have already seen the results of such investment at stations like Waverley, Queen Street and Haymarket, but it is important that action is taken at Scotland's local stations as well.

"This announcement will do exactly that, allowing passengers at Easterhouse, Hyndland, Linlithgow, Montrose and Perth to travel more easily without the stresses and difficulties experienced in the past."

Access for All was launched in 2006 to address the issues faced by disabled passengers using railway stations in Great Britain. Over the period of the scheme (2006 - 2015) Scottish projects will receive a total of £39 million.

Nineteen stations across Scotland have so far received funding from the Access for All Small Schemes Fund since 2006, totalling £1.23 million. This rolling investment of around £0.7 million each year from Transport Scotland has delivered a range of improvements designed to increase access to the rail network for passengers with a wide range of sensory impairments.

The Huddersfield office of leading chartered surveyors Eddisons has announced deals on over 40,000 sq ft of industrial units at various locations in the Kirklees area.

A string of lettings totalling over 19,000 sq ft have been concluded at the Bankfield Business Park in Mirfield on units ranging between 625 sq ft and 5,500 sq ft off asking rents from £1.75 per sq ft.

The former Joseph Barraclough site is now owned by Wharfedale Finance Company who has carried out extensive refurbishment since acquiring the site in 2007 to create a range of different sized workshops, warehouses, storage units and secure compounds. Hanson Chartered Surveyors acted as joint agents.

Meanwhile, the last remaining industrial/warehouse unit at Fieldhouse Business Park, off Leeds Road, which extends to 9,944 sq ft has been let to T.A.P.S. Ltd off an asking rent of £57,000 per annum, on the instructions of MB Services.

Elsewhere, Florelle Importing, a specialist importer of dried flowers, has taken 3 units totalling over 10,000 sq ft at Holme Bank Mills, Station Road, Mirfield on the instructions of James Walker Properties Ltd.

Paul Andrew, Head of Agency at the Huddersfield office of Eddisons said: 'We are delighted to have concluded these deals on behalf of our clients despite tough market conditions, which show a continuing confidence in Huddersfield as a business location. The units are of a high quality and benefit from excellent road links which contributes to their appeal.'

Jones Lang LaSalle Scotland's Project and Development Services team has completed a £650,000 refurbishment and fit-out of Bonhams new headquarters in Scotland, ahead of the public opening on 19th August and the Scottish Sale on 25th August.

The Category A listed building at 22 Queen Street required a substantial investment including replacement finishes, modern lighting, enhanced protective systems and bespoke finishes.

Kenny Myles, associate director of Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "There was a very challenging timescale which required intensive management, to ensure delivery for the client's Scottish Sale. The overall site programme was condensed to 12 weeks with significant works required outside normal office hours."

Miranda Grant, Managing Director, Bonhams Scotland said "Working with Jones Lang LaSalle on this project has been a complete pleasure. Their professionalism, attention to detail and understanding of how to bring a listed building up to a high standard of finish, from technical systems to Georgian cornicing, has enabled us to bring our new Scottish premises into line with our international salerooms in London and New York."

During 2007, the Leeds office of global property consultancy Knight Frank concluded hotel deals worth £54m, according to Knight Frank's UK Hotel Review.

The most notable transaction was the sale in April 2007 of the 99-bedroom Monkbar Hotel in York off a guide price of £13 million by Leisurepoint to Shiva Hotels.

More recently Knight Frank handled the sale of the historic Hazlewood Castle, near York, on behalf of owner Brian and Andrea Walker to Ashdale Hotels for an undisclosed sum.

The UK Hotel Review, which has just been published, reveals that much of the UK hotel sector continues to show growth, although occupancy rates are expected to come under increased pressure, as slight downward shifts are being recorded.

Leigh Parsons, hotels partner in Leeds, commented: "Currently there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the property market in the region. Many commentators are predicting a fall in values across both residential and commercial sectors in the coming year.

"While the Yorkshire hotel property market is unlikely to avoid some turbulence, two factors remain which bode well for the sector. Firstly, demand exceeds supply for good quality hotels and secondly, funding is still available for suitable purchasers looking to buy appropriate properties. As a result of these trends, we do not currently foresee a significant decline in hotel values," he said.

2007 saw robust UK transactional activity, despite a slowdown in portfolio investment during the second half of the year that has continued into 2008. The market for single hotel assets showed reasonable strength during 2007 and the first quarter of 2008.

Other key findings of the report were:

- The rapid rise in utility costs and the introduction of mandatory energy efficiency certification is raising the importance of energy consumption in the hotel sector.

- Premium brands are increasingly being sought in mixed-use developments in order to increase marketability and the value of associated residential and commercial elements.

- The appetite from debt providers that understand the cash flow of a hotel remains reasonable, although post the credit crunch the number of lenders has reduced and most require significant comfort on debt cover.

- Consumer spending is expected to slow during the remainder of the year, and this together with rising inflation is likely to impact on hotel cash flows.

- In spite representing only a small proportion of total carbon emissions from commercial buildings, the issue of energy use in the construction and operation of hotels is rapidly gaining prominence within the industry. The rapid rise in energy costs and the introduction of legislation aimed at making commercial buildings more energy efficient are key drivers in this process.

Leigh Parsons commented: "We are seeing a bit of a stand-off in the hotel sector in the north at the moment; purchasers (and there are still many out there and they have cash) are reluctant to commit to a purchase or are making offers at significant discounts to the asking prices, perhaps thinking (dare I say even hoping) that prices will fall in the next few months. However, since business is still generally pretty good, there appears to be no immediate pressure on most vendors to significantly reduce their price and they are prepared to sit tight if necessary.

"Many banks are making the right noises: telling us that there are plenty of funds available for well qualified purchasers for businesses showing good profits. What we are finding though is that they are reluctant to place much weight on future projections and are lending on current and historic trading performance only to ensure that any debt can be serviced from trading profit.

"This stand-off cannot continue for too much longer - something has got to give. Perhaps the property market will turn the corner and all the pent-up requirement will suddenly appear as a flood of offers. Or perhaps vendors will start to realise that the 'correction' is long term and that they would be foolish to hold out for a price which may not be attainable for years to come. Either way I can see that activity must pick up soon," he explained.

PROPERTY EXECUTIVE SCOTTISH AWARDS 2008 SHORTLIST

INDUSTRIAL

KENMORE - SAINSBURY WAREHOUSE, EAST KILBRIDE
GLADMANS - MAX J4M8,LIVINGSTON
EUROCENTRAL - EUROCENTRAL PARTNERSHIP, M8 NORTH LANARKSHIRE
ROSEMOUND (NOW GOODSON) & TESCO - TESCO WAREHOUSE, LIVINGSTON


OFFICE

F & C ASSET MANAGEMENT - 206 ST VINCENT STREET
GLADEDALE CAPITAL - QUARTERMILE
MILLER DEVELOPEMETS - EDINBURGH QUAY 2
GLADEDALE CAPITAL - LOCHRIN SQUARE


MIXED USE

GLADEDALE CAPITAL - LOCHRIN SQUARE
GLADEDALE CAPITAL - QUARTERMILE
MILLER DEVELOPMENTS - EDINBURGH QUAY 2
EUROCENTRAL PARTNERSHIP - EUROCENTRAL


REGENERATION

GLADEDALE/GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL - OATLANDS
EDI - PARC CRAIGMILLAR LTD
PERSIMMON PARTNERSHIPS/GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL - GARTHAMLOCK REGENERATION


SUSTAINABILITY

M & S - SILVERBURN, GLASGOW
SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COLLEGE, EAST KILBRIDE
NATIONAL PARK HQ, BALLOCH


RESIDENTIAL

SOVEREIGN HOUSE DEVELOPMENTS - THE BROCK, PERTH
GLADEDALE (CENTRAL SCOTLAND) LTD - FUSION, GLASGOW
DANDARA - GH20, GLASGOW
APPLECROSS - WATERSIDE GREEN, CRAIGLOCKHART, EDINBURGH


RETAIL

COMBINED PROPERTIES - SILVERBURN, GLASGOW
DAWN DEVELOPMENTS - ROB ROYSTON, GLASGOW
FORREST DEVELOPMENTS - NEW SAINSBURYS, EDINBURGH
DUNFERMLINE SHOPPING CENTRE - CROSSLAND PROPERTIES


LEGAL PRACTICE

TODS MURRAY
DLA PIPER
MACROBERTS
DUNDAS & WILSON
BIGGART BAILLIE


ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE

COOPER CROMAR
KEPPIE DESIGN
JM ARCHITECTS
3D REID
RICHARD MURPHY ARCHITECTS
BDP


PROPERTY CONSULTANCY

THOMAS & ADAMSON
WOOLGAR HUNTER
EC HARRIS
HULLEY & KIRKWOOD
ARUP
WSP
HALCROW
DAVIS LANGDON MACKENZIE
TURLEY ASSOCIATES


CONSTRUCTION

DAWN CONSTRUCTION
MILLER CONSTRUCTION
LAING O'ROURKE


PROPERTY AGENCY

KNIGHT FRANK
RYDEN
CBRE
COLLIERS CRE
DTZ
DRIVERS JONAS
GVA GRIMLEY
SAVILLS

According to a report by global property consultancy, Knight Frank, the Scottish hotel market is continuing to experience relatively healthy trading conditions and reasonable transactional activity is still occurring, particularly with properties in the £1m to £20m lot size bracket.

The UK Hotel Review, which investigates the UK's hotel sector, highlights that the Scottish hotel market is remaining relatively buoyant despite the effect of difficult economic conditions on other sectors. It states that the biggest benefactors of these conditions in Scotland have been properties which can offer a change of use such as townhouse hotels which are proving popular in many Scottish cities, including Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Hotels such as the Number Ten Hotel, (incorporating The Christopher North House Hotel) in Edinburgh are attracting new investors who are realising the security of having a long term product and flexible business model. Knight Frank is currently marketing the Number Ten Hotel and with profits recorded at well over £500,000 this company sale is already attracting interest from a variety of purchasers.

The report also highlights that the Aberdeen hotel market is being driven by the city's booming oil industry and has typically shown stronger than average room and utilisation rates throughout the year. The city's hotel sector has seen several transactions throughout 2007 during which Knight Frank acquired the 50 bedroom Simpson's Hotel in Aberdeen on behalf of Manorisms LLP at a price in excess of £10m.

By contrast, Edinburgh has benefited from the fringe festival and business travel, whilst cities like Inverness remain buoyant tourist destinations. Glasgow's hotel performance is boosted by its importance as a conference destination and among the noteworthy single transactions of 2007 was the purchase in January of the 250 bedroom 5 star Glasgow Radison SAS hotel by Edinburgh based Strategic Investment Management for a reported £68 million.

David Reid, partner, Knight Frank said: "As Knight Frank's Hotel Review highlights, small boutique hotels in Scotland are attracting a lot of interest at present due to their lower operating costs and change of use potential. Cities such as Edinburgh have really exploited this with many townhouse properties now marketing their potential as both a hotel business and residential use. Scotland's hotel sector is still very active and there are many investors with cash reserves who are looking to capitalise on these opportunities."

Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games' Organising Committee moved into a new base at George Square at the beginning of the month.

Jones Lang LaSalle's Project and Development Services team were appointed by Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games to Project Manage and Contract Administrate the refurbishment of their new Headquarters building at Monteith House, George Square.

The fit out works to the offices included reconfiguring the layout of the fifth floor open plan space to create a new Boardroom with views across George Square and creation of glazed offices to retain the bright and open feel of the accommodation. JLL also acted as CDM Co-ordinators and provided expert advice to ensure that the newly formed offices will be DDA compliant.

Niall Robertson, Associate Director in Jones Lang LaSalle's Project and Development Services team who provide Project Management and Building Surveying services said "We consider it a great honour to have been chosen by Glasgow 2014 to supervise the fit out of their flagship Headquarters Building. The project involved successfully working alongside Glasgow City Council who developed proposals for the reconfiguration of the space while we achieved best value by obtaining competitive tenders for the works".

The fit out was completed on time and considerably under budget to coincide with the start date of the new Chief Executive, John Scott and it is hoped that the new accommodation can help inspire the Games Committee in their goal of delivering a spectacular event of which the country can be proud.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be the biggest multi-sports event that Scotland will ever host, bringing over 6,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries to the city to complete in 17 different sports over 11 days. With a budget of £373million, the Commonwealth Games are expected to bring significant economic and social benefits to Glasgow and Scotland.

Jones Lang LaSalle's involvement in the Beijing Olympics has contributed to more than 45 million sq ft of Olympics related properties - from the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium to the Olympic Village and six other major projects. JLL consider that experience gained during the Beijing Olympics can be used to benefit the London 2012 Olympics and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and look forward to the opportunities that these major sporting events will bring.

Property consultancy Knight Frank has helped pave the way for a multi-million pound investment deal at one of the city's burgeoning business locations.

Developer Wilson Bowden has sold J1 Riverside Exchange, part of its nine acre redevelopment of the former Exchange Brewery site, to clients of Danish company Danmerc in a deal worth more than £19m.

The Sheffield office of Knight Frank acted on behalf of Wilson Bowden in selling the development and MP2 advised the purchaser with de Morgan & Co.

J1 Riverside Exchange, which totals 75,610 sq ft (7,024sq m), is an attractive waterfront development that sits alongside the River Don, next to the city's law courts and on the edge of the principal retail area of the city centre, and features glazed elevations that offer dramatic views of the river. It is let off at a rent of £17.50 per sq ft.

Riverside Exchange is one of Sheffield's 11 designated City Centre Quarters, situated by the River Don. It is named after the Whitbread Exchange Brewery which was formerly located on the site of the current developments and incorporates the Victoria Quays.

Henrie Westlake, partner at Knight Frank, said: "This deal sends out a strong message about the vigour of Sheffield's commercial property market.

"Despite tough market conditions, Sheffield is still showing a thirst for growth and progression, reflected through strong market demand and the resulting high-quality developments which are continuing to make a positive impact on Sheffield's skyline, including the entire Riverside Exchange complex.

"J1 Riverside Exchange is now occupied by the Government's Home Office department, as is the adjoining building J2, which is a clear indicator as to the quality of the office units on offer at Riverside, and is yet another endorsement of Sheffield's growing demand for Grade A office space."

Riverside Exchange is within walking distance of city centre amenities including retail, restaurant, entertainment and leisure and is well placed for public transport including the Supertram in Castle Square, central bus station and the railway station with its frequent inter-city services.

A planning application by University of Edinburgh for a £59million world-leading centre for regenerative medicine and stem cell research has been approved by City of Edinburgh Council for land at Little France, on the Capital's south side.

The 9,000 sq m centre, to be built next to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, is of crucial importance to the city's economic growth strategy and will be the flagship development of Edinburgh's fledgling BioQuarter. The 25 ha BioQuarter development is a joint project between the University of Edinburgh, SEEL and the private sector. It will be a landmark life sciences development which will establish Edinburgh and Scotland as one of the world's top ten centres for biomedical commercialisation.

The Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine heralds the beginning of the BioQuarter. Planned to be operational within three years, it is a building of outstanding design quality by award winning architects Sheppard Robson. It will span three storeys and be built to BREEAM Excellent standards; the emphasis on quality is intended to attract the best academics to the city.

Angus Currie, Director of Estates and Buildings at the University of Edinburgh said: "This is a fantastic day for the University of Edinburgh and for the city of Edinburgh as a whole. The Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine is a major development that will draw the very best scientists from across the world to work here in this fast developing sector."

Ryden planning associate, Fiona Clandillon, said: "This is a highly prestigious development to be involved with as it will boost Edinburgh's reputation for cutting-edge medical research and be a catalyst for further development at the Edinburgh BioQuarter. The City of Edinburgh Council's positive approach to the application has been evident throughout the planning application process and we are delighted with today?s approval".

Ryden is representing University of Edinburgh through the application process. The architects are Sheppard Robson.

Following on from its successful earlier developments on Shields Road, Rokeby Developments has commenced construction of Phase 2b and with the announcement of five pre-lets.

Designed by Newcastle based architects, Ryder HKS, in keeping with the local vernacular and scale of earlier developments, under this latest phase Rokeby will develop a row of six, high quality, retail units with two offices to first floor level.

Each retail unit has been designed with an entrance facing onto Shields Road and will range in size from 657 sq ft to 1,424 sq ft, while the office accommodation will provide occupiers with floorplates of 3,700 sq ft and 2,500 sq ft.

Phase 2b, valued at £2.8million, it is being built by local contractor, Interserve, which will relocate into the larger of the two office units from its present site in Forest Hall upon completion of construction.

At ground floor level, Greggs will occupy unit one, providing 1,022 sq ft; Norchem Pharmacy will occupy unit two, providing 1,424 sq ft; Marie Curie Cancer Care has taken unit five, offering 938 sq ft and Thoughts Card and Gift retailer will occupy unit six, providing 647 sq ft. Two units remain available.

Rokeby, a developer with considerable experience of working on regeneration schemes as a private sector partner to local authorities, commenced its contribution to the successful redevelopment of Shields Road back in 2001 with the construction of the Morrisons superstore. This acted as a catalyst for further development under Phase 2a which included the construction of a KFC restaurant and a Gala Bingo hall.

Rokeby Development's, director, Adrian Goodall, said: "We currently have a total of 250,000 sqft of retail developments on site at present and remain confident about the retail market despite prevailing market conditions. The retail sector is still interested when it comes to good quality accommodation, in the right location, at the right rental levels."

With such well respected covenants as Greggs and Marie Curie Cancer Care, a delighted Lawal Zubairu of letting agent, Sanderson Weatherall, said: "We have already had a number of speculative enquiries, however, now that construction has commenced, I anticipate that the level of interest will rise. Potential tenants will see the development as an attractive proposition, especially with Greggs, Marie Cure Cancer Care and pharmacy operator, Norchem as neighbours, which all have a complementary customer base."

Commercial property investment and development company, Kenmore Property Group, has announced that Leeds City Council has approved the planning application for the redevelopment of City House, above Leeds Train Station.

Plans for this prominent office building, formerly occupied by 'The Department of Transport', include an extensive redevelopment programme that will see City House transformed into highly specified office accommodation.

The striking development will comprise over 130,000 sq ft of Grade A office space and parking for approximately 79 cars. City House will extend over 13 floors and has been designed with flexible floor plates in order to allow single or multiple occupancy.

The plans also address the current understated entrance and the awkward geometry of the landmark building, maximising floor to ceiling heights and improving both the flexibility and efficiency of the floor-plate design.

The entire building is to be re-clad with a full height glazed curtain walling, improving the visual presence when viewed from the North and the South of the City, in particular providing a dominant and architecturally expressive view from City Square.

The extent and sensitivity of these works together with the overall sustainability of the development will achieve a 'Very Good' BREEAM energy efficiency rating.

James Scott, Associate Director, Kenmore Property Group commented 'The planning approval of City House is a major step forward for both Kenmore and Leeds. The overall design of this development complements its surroundings and will provide a landmark within Leeds city centre. It will also be delivered at a time of both considerable under supply and strong forecasted demand for prime space located in the very heart of the city and its core business district'.

John Thorp, Civic Architect for Leeds added; 'The refurbishment of City House is important for Leeds due to the prominence of the building at the entrance to our City for many visitors and business people. The new City House will provide sustainable office accommodation for those who will work there, with very strong links to public transport. It will transform a 1960s building into a striking architectural statement on the skyline of Leeds'.

Kenmore purchased City House in 2006 with a view to regenerating the tired and dilapidated building and maximising its potential given its overall size, presence and location within Leeds City Centre. Now planning has been granted, Kenmore intends to start works early September this year with a view to completing in late Autumn 2009.

Gladman Developments has disposed of more than 50% of the first phase of its speculative industrial development at Ramparts Business Park in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Local firm, Farm To Freeze, has acquired the freehold of unit 3d and has taken a five year lease on unit 3c. Both are purpose-built small industrial units, each of 3,789 sq ft. Prices were undisclosed.

Based in the nearby town of Wooler, family run business Farm to Freeze is relocating its Food Services distribution centre with a view to expanding its successful wholesale food and drink division. Farm to Freeze Food Services supplies hotels and public houses across Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.

A further two industrial units, each of 3,789 sq ft, remain available for sale or lease at Ramparts Business Park, as does 27,000 sq ft of new speculative purpose-built offices, ranging in size from 1,035 sq ft to 4,500 sq ft.

The industrial units are designed in an open-plan configuration to allow for subdivision if required and ready for occupiers' fit-out. A concrete mezzanine area provides additional storage space, or a platform for first-floor offices. Each has 7.5 eaves height, 4m x 4m level access doors, car parking and service area, 50kN/m2 floor loading and is fully DDA compliant

Ramparts is England's northernmost business park and stands on the northern outskirts of Berwick-on-Tweed, only a stone's throw away from the Scottish Border, sandwiched between the A1 and the main East Coast rail line from Edinburgh to London.

"Now that we have completed work on phase one and secured our first deal, we are confident that further deals will follow," says Richard Horsfield of Gladman Developments.

Nick Green of joint agents Edwin Thompson says: "We are delighted to have secured the Farm to Freeze deal. Gladman Developments' schemes at Ramparts Business Park provides local companies with the right kind of high quality, well designed accommodation to help expansion and ensure that they remain in the area to support the local economy."

Quoting prices for the industrial space at Ramparts Business Park are £5.50psf for leases and £75psf for freehold, while office space prices are £140psf freehold and £11.50psf for leases. Agents for the scheme are GVA Grimley's Edinburgh office and local agent Edwin Thompson.

With its head office in Cheshire, Gladman Developments also has offices in the North East of England in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and in Scotland in Livingston. It is the UK's largest developer of speculative office and industrial accommodation, investing more than £100 million per year building new business parks and presently has more than 1,000,000 sq ft under construction.

Mechanical and electrical (M&E;) contractor, SES(Shepherd Engineering Services) has announced a major project win for its north east office.

SES has been appointed as M&E; contractor on the £10 million Boho One, the first building to be constructed in the innovative Boho Zone, the digital media, digital technologies and creative industries quarter of Middlesbrough's DigitalCity.

Boho One will provide 30,000sqft of innovative, high specification accommodation. This will include air conditioned units ranging in size from 375 to 2,150 sq ft, internal and external networking spaces, open wi-fi in public areas, ultra high speed communications - occupiers will enjoy unrivalled connection and download speeds - and private multi-media meeting rooms as well as parking.

In addition to these facilities, Boho One has been designed to be environmentally friendly and is expected to gain a BREEAM rating of Excellent achievable by the inclusion of sophisticated building management systems; use of borehole technology to recover ground heat and wind turbines to generate electricity, as well as solar shading to assist with maintaining ambient room temperatures.

SES will be responsible for the installation of all M&E; and electrical services. Speaking about this latest contract win, operations director Steve Joyce, said;

"SES is delighted to be appointed to such an innovative project as the construction of Boho One. Past experience on similar award-winning schemes such as the Devonshire Building for Newcastle University, will be applied to this project because of its similarities.

"We have worked very closely with the client to provide value engineering solutions to ensure they were able to have a building to suit their needs and that of the end of user. We are able to do this because we approach each project on an individual basis which allows us to develop bespoke systems. This can often mean modifying designs to meet budgets or timescales but this is always done without compromising the quality or timely delivery of the project."

Talking about this latest stage in the development of Boho One, director of DigitalCity Business, Mark Elliott added: "The development of the Boho Zone will raise the bar in the type of accommodation available in Tees Valley and will support the development of digital businesses. We have now reached an exciting stage in the proceedings as we prepare to start in earnest for construction of Boho One.

The main funders for this project are One Northeast and Tees Valley Regeneration via Single Programme; ERDF funding via GONE; and Middlesbrough Council.

The main contractor is HBG construction and the M&E; services commence in August this year of this year.

Thales UK, the Aerospace, Defense and Security contractor, which is the second largest defense electronics systems supplier to the UK Ministry of Defense, has announced the appointment of King Sturge as its UK property advisor.

Thales had been seeking to consolidate services with a single service provider and undertook a full market review, conducted by Corporate Property Advisers, involving many of the major corporate real estate agents. Thales expects that the appointment will result in an increased speed and efficiency, access to a broad range of skills, improvements in system quality and an increased overall visibility of property performance.

Commenting on the appointment, David Mirmelli, recently appointed Properties Director at Thales UK, who commissioned the review, said: "Like many corporates, Thales UK needs to make its real estate work for the business. We have been rationalising our property holdings, signified by our consolidation, with Segro, in Crawley, which has the potential to cut costs and improve quality of work space for our highly specialised staff. But there is still much to achieve. The selection and appointment of King Sturge will allow us to drive forward our strategy in a number of areas".

Campbell Hart, partner at King Sturge said: "We are delighted to win this major role as adviser for Thales, in the face of strong competition. There are some very exciting opportunities to add value for Thales at locations across the UK, including holdings in Glasgow and Edinburgh. King Sturge's strong regional representation, and our activity in the markets close to their facilities, was undoubtedly a factor of our success.

Following a series of recent deals on Clarendon Street Innes England has confirmed further success at this prestigious business location with the sale of 9 Clarendon Street, Nottingham.

The self-contained offices are converted from a semi-detached period property on the well-established commercial location, which is close to the City centre. The property provides over 1,700 sq ft of accommodation across three floors and a dry basement for storage. The property also has a good parking provision on the forecourt.

The offices have been purchased by Sterling Financial Services Limited who offer financial planning and advice on pensions, investments, life assurance and mortgages. Sterling also provides an estate planning service and technical assistance on more complicated trust and pension arrangements.

Innes England was instructed to act on behalf of a retained Private Investor client in the disposal of the property, which was offered for sale with vacant possession.

Dan Mahoney of Innes England commented: "With freehold properties in high demand in this areas we anticipated there would be significant interest and we are delighted to have achieved a sale on behalf of our Client.

This is a well established professional business location which exactly suits the requirements of Sterling Financial Services Limited who have expanded from their previous Nottingham premises."

In the west of Scotland, Ryden has sealed six deals in quick succession reinforcing that there is still business to be done in the property sector.

To the east of Glasgow, double glazing and home improvement specialist Weatherseal UK Ltd took a 5-year lease on a 7,500 sq ft unit at Newhouse Industrial Estate at £24,500 per annum.

ESS Electrical paid circa £450,000 for a 14,000 sq ft unit at 15-17 Glenfield Road, East Kilbride; and in Cumbernauld, Strategic Team Scotland Ltd, a company which provides support though every step of the property build cycle, has taken 4,391 sq ft at £5.25 per sq ft at Deerdykes View, Westfield on a 5-year lease.

Central deals include 50 Lochburn Rd in Maryhill, Glasgow, where 8,470 sq ft has been let to M & L coachbuilders on a 5-year lease at £23,300 per annum, and in London Road Trading Estate, Glasgow, an 11,015 sq ft unit has been let to Body Source UK Ltd. at £52,321 per annum. Platinum Fitness has also taken a 2,018 sq ft unit at Nuneaton Industrial Estate, Glasgow on a 3-year lease at £10,900 per annum.

Gregor Harvie of Ryden said: "Given the climate and regular negative media reports, I am pleased to have concluded a number deals and Ryden has a number of larger transactions that are currently in legal hands."

The Sheffield Occupier Survey, by property consultancy Knight Frank, illustrates widespread commercial devotion to the city with more than half of the respondents having a Sheffield base for 20 years or longer, and all those surveyed planning to remain in Sheffield following future lease renewals.

More than 100 city-based companies received the survey, providing a unique insight into what key drivers of commerce want from the city, with new office developments seen as necessary or long overdue by almost 70 per cent of participants, and 100 per cent recognising a need for more hotel and conferencing facilities.

Tim Bottrill, partner at the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, said: "To see that there is healthy demand for new office space, hotel and conferencing facilities is an excellent indicator to us that commercial interests within the city are objectively focussed on stability and future growth."

New office developments are widely applauded in the survey and Blonk Street, adjacent to the Wicker, comes out as the most favoured location, closely followed by nearby Riverside Exchange, with Wards Exchange off Ecclesall Road and Velocity following respectively.

The survey showed that 48 per cent of businesses polled had an interest in moving to a new scheme in the city, while only 14 per cent found the new build rental rates to be prohibitive.

Tim added: "One of the most encouraging findings of the survey is that nearly 50 per cent of Sheffield respondents expect their business to require more staff, with an additional 40 per cent expecting to remain stable. This provides a positive signal to the fortunes of the Sheffield office market and its future growth.

"The survey also highlights that proximity to clients and competitors is cited as a key reason for city businesses staying put, another good indicator that trade in the city business region is stable. This is backed by strong results for skilled labour availability and good value accommodation.

"Sheffield has changed dramatically during the last ten years and we are now witnessing complete swathes of development along inner city roads such as Arundel Gate, which offers 38,000 sq ft of stunning Grade A accommodation at Oneleven, and another 40,000 sq ft of Grade A office space which will come to market through the proposed redevelopment of the former Post Office site at Fitzalan Square, among its projects.

"On Trippet Lane, there are several attractive period developments including Walsh Court, which provides open plan accommodation through newly refurbished office suites covering 26, 012 sq ft, with flexible floorplans. Another Walsh building in Bells Square, on the lower side of Trippet Lane, has received a high-class makeover featuring a unique and striking self-contained courtyard and 2,680 sq ft of open plan accommodation.

"It is this calibre and diversity of accommodation that makes Sheffield a niche environment both for settled businesses and those looking to locate here."

Skilled labour and good value office accommodation were rated by the survey's participants as the principle draw for businesses looking to locate to Sheffield, with high quality of accommodation, a thriving business environment and good infrastructure also likely to draw new companies into the city.

Demand for retail and leisure accommodation is also high among those polled, with 96 per cent looking to see the city's leisure facilities increase and 80 per cent looking for more retail accommodation - further suggesting that the Sheffield business sector is focussed on growth and longevity.

Andy Topley, director of regeneration at city development company, Creative Sheffield, welcomes the report.

He said: "Securing strong business has always been key to the success of Sheffield's development. The work to regenerate the city over the past ten years has created a superb infrastructure for businesses to locate to. Sheffield now boasts some top class office space and the Knight Frank report demonstrates that there is a healthy commercial demand for the city to continue its evolution, despite the uncertain economic climate."

The research, conducted in June 2008, took findings from companies employing approximately 1,500 staff collectively, occupying approximately two million sq ft in total - with 75 per cent of those surveyed located in the city centre.

Nottingham-based Property Investment Portfolio (PIP) has continued to expand its expert team with the appointment of Sandra Pickering, as the property company continues to grow despite the challenging market conditions.

Sandra, 50, joins PIP as finance manager, with over ten years' experience in finance and administration roles.

Arv Soar, director of PIP, believes that this appointment marks a positive step forward for the company at a critical time in the housing market. Arv commented: "At a time when many firms are cutting costs, we are bucking the trend and expanding our operations. With new projects such as Paramount Windows in the pipeline, and a growing property portfolio in Nottinghamshire, Sandra couldn't have arrived at a better time."

Sandra from Bilborough joins PIP from Sian Accessories, where she held the position of company secretary and headed up the finance department. Sandra is looking forward to her new role: "I am relishing the opportunity to work for a company that is expanding and clearly succeeding in its market. PIP is a forward thinking property firm with a strong customer base and I am looking forward to being part of a company that is constantly evolving."

PIP has recently opened an office in Hull and has appointed a further 40 sub contractors to work on its new portfolio in the region. The Hull office is PIP's first regional office, opened to support the Nottingham HQ. The company is also looking to expand into North America in the coming months.

27 notes of interest have been received for Edinburgh's Calton Centre since going on the market, prompting selling agent Ryden to set a closing date for offers. From noon on Wednesday 27 August, no more offers will be accepted for the former Church at 121 Montgomery Street off Easter Road, Edinburgh.

Acting for The Calton Youth Ministry Trust, Ryden has been marketing the category C-listed church which was formerly the Kirk Memorial Evangelical Union Church. For the last 30 years the property has operated as The Calton Community Centre.

The well-detailed small gothic church was designed by one of Edinburgh's most well-known late 19th century architects and was built in 1895. It is arranged over two floors and provides total accommodation of 4,579 sq ft (425 sq m). It is suitable for continued church/institutional use or conversion/redevelopment for residential, health centre, offices, design studio etc.

Roy Durie, senior partner at Ryden, said that despite the current credit crunch problems he expects to achieve a price in the region of £300,000 for the property.