These are 15 of the biggest commercial property deals to have hit the North West in recent weeks
Industry giants including BT, In The Style, Tommy Hilfiger and Home Bargains have signed leases and made key acquisitions as the market continues its recovery from the pandemic.
The deals since our last roundup include sites located all across the North West including Manchester, Liverpool and further afield.
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Here, BusinessLive rounds up 15 of those deals we feel you shouldn't have missed:
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BT
BT has announced the completion and opening of a new North West office following a multi-million pound investment - and the creation of 125 jobs.
The new-look contact centre in Warrington is one of the telecoms giant's first new-look offices to open under its 'better workplace' programme - the largest of its type ever undertaken in the 海角视频.
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BT said staff have been working from home during the pandemic, but many are expected to return to the office over the coming weeks and months following the lifting of Government restrictions.
AEW 海角视频
The former Pochin's HQ site in Middlewich, Cheshire has been sold to fund AEW 海角视频 in a deal worth £6.645m.
Legat Owen acquired the site from Pochin’s Receivers for £3.25m during the early stages of the first lockdown in 2020.
The site comprised the vacant headquarter offices, yards, workshops along with Cheshire Concrete Products’ (CCP) main production and storage facility.
Legat Owen and property developer Blok reconfigured the CCP lease and extended its site to 3.25 acres to assist CCP with its need for on-site growth due to rising demand for concrete blocks.
The balance of 4.94 acres was let to CLD Fencing Systems on a 10-year lease to create a new headquarters and logistics hub.
Jonathan Beeson, director of Blok 海角视频 Limited, said: “The acquisition of the site was complicated, not least due to the pandemic taking hold during the course of early negotiations, and the subsequent uncertainty this threw up.
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"However we were lucky enough to complete the two new lettings quickly and amicably. Since then we have undertaken some demolition and refurbishment works to the site to make it suitable for sale.”
Mercia Real Estate
A huge industrial site in Greater Manchester has been sold for £7.2m to a property investor which owns business parks, shopping centres and large commercial buildings across the Midlands.
The self-contained manufacturing and warehouse facility known as No 2 Works, on the Kenwood Road Industrial Estate in Reddish, measures more than 160,000 sq ft.
Birmingham-based Mercia Real Estate has snapped up the site from a private seller and is now planning to refurbish and rent out the property.
The buyer's portfolio currently includes the likes of Knowle Shopping Centre, the Chamber of Commerce building in Birmingham and Guildhall Shopping Centre in Stafford.
In The Style
In the Style has switched its HQ to a large modern office building in Salford.
The fashion e-tailer, which earlier this year completed an AIM float, has taken the whole of Maple Court at the M60 Office Park from Prime Property Consultancy.
Maple Court comprises 23,500 sq ft over ground and two upper floors, and Prime Property said it has been fully refurbished to Grade A standard.
Watch This Space
A Manchester developer has bought the former HQ of the city's Ship Canal Company - that has remained derelict for a quarter of a century.
Watch This Space has acquired the grade II-listed Georgian building Bridgewater House for an undisclosed sum - and now plans bring it "back to life".
The firm said the site, which was originally built as two private dwellings before being transferred into an office in the 18th century to become the Manchester Ship Canal Company HQ, requires "significant investment".
Home Bargains
Home Bargains has opened a new £1m store in Lancashire in a former Aldi supermarket and created 65 jobs.
The discount retailer's new location is based in Towngate, Leyland.
In total, the store will employ 68 team members, including some staff and management who have transferred from local stores.
The new Leyland store has joined over 575 Home Bargains outlets across the 海角视频, while the firm is aiming to open about 50 a year.
Tommy Hilfiger
海角视频 fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger is to open large new store in what is a huge boost for one of Manchester's biggest shopping centres.
The 3,300sq ft shop will open at the Arndale later this week, with the move hoped to help the city "retain its status as the home of leading fashion brands".
Colin Flinn, non-executive director of the centre, said he was "delighted" to see shoppers returning to the centre, and that the deal comes off the back of a number of recent lettings.
In-House Legal Solutions
A Liverpool law firm has its HQ to the heart of the city's central business district - and announced a host of key hires.
In-House Legal Solutions has relocated to Tempest at 12 Tithebarn Street from its previous Baltic Triangle base - and welcomed senior lawyer, Susanne MacPherson, who brings 20 years’ in-house legal experience.
Ms MacPherson has been joined by paralegals Laura Keane, Arshi Ratansi and Frederick Timmins while the firm’s latest trainee, Sam Chadwick, started his training contract this month.
Moda Outdoor Furnishings
Manchester-headquartered Moda Outdoor Furnishings has opened a flagship store in its home city.
The company, backed by private equity investor Endless, has invested more than £500,000 in the new 7,000 sq ft, glass-fronted store in Old Trafford.
It is located at the Castlemore Retail Park, at the crossroads of Chester Road and White City Drive, near to Old Trafford football ground.
One Knowsley
One Knowsley, the infrastructure support body for the third sector in Knowsley, has acquired the Courtyard and surrounding buildings at Court Hey Park in Huyton, with plans to transform the site, previously part of the wider site for the former National Wildflower Centre into its new headquarters and a community hub.
Acquired in an asset transfer from Knowsley Council with support from Livv Investment, One Knowsley and its key stakeholders will be leading significant investment into the refurbishment of the two buildings to drastically contribute to the ambition within the borough to improve its green credentials.
Racheal Jones, chief executive, One Knowsley, said: “After a period of growth for One Knowsley and building on the impact of our work and role within the borough, Court Hey Courtyard offers a fantastic opportunity to not only meet the growing needs of our workforce but to meet the needs of the wider sector we support and act as the trusted voice for.
“Our vision is to create a vibrant new hub for community events and social activities, and a place for the people of Knowsley to be proud of. We are committed to developing a plan for the site over the coming months, one that includes our stakeholders and the local community who it will serve. It is incredibly important that they are involved in the process.
“I’d like to thank Knowsley Council and Livv Investment for their support with the asset transfer and I am looking forward to working closely with our stakeholders to fulfill our ambitions for an exemplar in green recovery from the Covid pandemic.”
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has opened two 海角视频 'collaboration hubs', with the firm also announcing dozens of new jobs for Manchester.
The US IT giant said its new sites in Manchester and Reading will complement its recently established 'Edge to Office' program, which aims to allow team members to work and stay connected remotely.
HPE said the new 海角视频 sites are designed "with teamwork, social connections and talent development at their heart", using collaboration spaces and open seating as part of its new post-pandemic way of working.
Napthens
A North West law firm has quadrupled its Liverpool footprint with an office move - as well as announcing a spate of new senior appointments and client wins.
Napthens has moved to the sixth floor of The Plaza on Old Hall Street - an office providing new meeting rooms and accommodation for up to 30 staff.
To coincide with its move, the firm, which also has offices in Preston, Blackburn, Kendal and Southport, has made several new appointments, including two additions to its employment team.
Ultimate Products
Consumer goods brands giant Ultimate Products has opened its newly-refurbished offices at its Greater Manchester headquarters following a near £2m investment.
Manor Mill, which has served as the listed firm's main base since 1997, is a 200,000 sq ft, five-storey former cotton spinning mill located in Chadderton, Oldham.
The group said the decision to renovate Manor Mill’s fourth floor was taken in 2019 in order to provide additional capacity for future growth and a better quality workspace for the group’s office-based workforce.
The group said the decision to renovate Manor Mill’s fourth floor was taken in 2019 in order to provide additional capacity for future growth and a better quality workspace for the group’s office-based workforce.
Robert Walters
A global recruitment specialist has relocated to a landmark office building in Manchester city centre.
Robert Walters has moved from two separate offices at 3 Hardman Street to 5,500 sq ft on the 12th floor of No 1 Spinningfields.
The company has joined professional services businesses Squire Patton Boggs, PWC, Browne Jacobson and Brown Shipley in the building.
Prime Property Consultancy
Prime Property Consultancy has secured a third tenant for Speke office development Aviation House, meaning the entire building is now fully let.
Pinnacle Group, a mixed-tenure housing management provider, has signed a 10-year lease for 5,686 sq ft on the second floor.
The company will join current tenants Keepmoat Homes and Tyrenet.
Aviation House is a refurbished Grade A office development with landscaped surroundings, located at Estuary Business Park, close to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.