Womble Bond Dickinson has revealed it is moving into Newcastle city centre to take up space in a landmark office building currently under construction.
The company, the North East’s largest law firm, has announced it will be moving its two city offices to new workspace at Newcastle Helix, after being based on the Quayside for 23 years.
In a move planned for 2022, Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) will relocate its 450 employees into 47,500 sq ft of space in The Spark, the latest office to rise from the ground at Newcastle Helix, the 24-acre innovation quarter sitting alongside the recently-completed Lumen.
Newcastle Helix represents a partnership between Newcastle City Council, Legal & General and Newcastle University, bringing together industry leaders, businesses, and top researchers to form an internationally renowned innovation cluster.
WBD has a strong history of supporting Newcastle Helix, having recently advised Newcastle City Council on its joint venture with Engie to develop low carbon district energy infrastructure projects, including the district green energy scheme at the heart of Newcastle Helix.
The move to new offices was announced by WBD real estate partner and newly appointed office head Nigel Emmerson.
He said: “In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, WBD is committed to playing its part in the economic recovery of the North East by leveraging our breadth of resource, expertise and transatlantic connections so the North East can continue to be amongst the best places in the 海角视频 to live, work and do business.”
“The pandemic has challenged conventions of office working and is pushing businesses to adopt more flexible and innovative working styles.
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“We’re looking forward to our move to the Newcastle Helix which offers a collaborative ecosystem for public and private companies and is considered a hub of innovation in Europe. As a firm dedicated to embracing and driving innovation in the legal sector, the new space is a perfect fit for us.
“We trace our roots in the city back to 1786. Our move to the Quayside in 1998 was transformative for our business and we hope the move to The Helix in 2022 will have similar results.
"We are very proud of our history but incredibly excited about our future. The office move reaffirms our commitment to the region and to Newcastle city centre; a thriving Newcastle is vital to the health of the North East and we intend to play our part in its future.”
Ben Rodgers, head of regeneration at LGIM Real Assets, said: “This deal demonstrates the continued demand for smart and adaptable “future” office space, despite the challenging times we are in.
“As we prepare for economic recovery, businesses like ours must continue to invest in our future and it is more important than ever that we deliver place-led urban regeneration schemes that our society needs, whether that be flexible new office space, housing or necessary transport infrastructure. We are excited to welcome WBD to Newcastle Helix, becoming part of our inspiring new community.”
Councillor Ged Bell, Cabinet Member for Employment and Culture at Newcastle City Council added: “In challenging times Newcastle Helix is playing a vital role in the recovery of our economy - fostering innovation, attracting businesses, and creating jobs for those who live and work in our city. We are delighted that WBD will be part of our vision to help people live smarter and healthier lives.”
“This move signals confidence for the future and emphasises the demand for ‘offices of the future’ as business adapt to new ways of working and collaborating. It isn’t just about the quality of the design and build businesses are looking for, it’s unique eco-systems that foster collaboration and support healthy workplace cultures - making Newcastle Helix the perfect fit.”
The search for new office accommodation and lease negotiations were conducted for WBD by BNP Paribas Real Estate. Joint agents for The Spark for Legal & General are Avison Young and Cushman & Wakefield.