HALCROW SIGNS FOR 13,000 SQ FT AT MEPC BIRCHWOOD PARK’S BRIDGEWATER PLACE

MEPC Birchwood Park has signed up Halcrow for 13,000 sq ft of office space at 304 Bridgewater Place, part of its award winning 106,000 sq ft four-building development. This comes at the same time as MEPC confirms that 302 Bridgewater Place, another of the four buildings, is now fully let.

Halcrow, a specialist in the provision of planning, design and management services for infrastructure development worldwide with interests in transportation, water, maritime and property, has taken the second floor on a 10 year lease at £18 per sq ft. The company took occupation in mid-July 2008. The agreement will see Halcrow re-locate some of its south Manchester based employees in the new Grade A office building following its recent expansion plans and recruitment drive.

MEPC Birchwood Park has now let over 50,000 sq ft (3,716 sq m) during the last nine months at its flagship property Bridgewater Place.

This letting underlines Birchwood Park’s position as Warrington’s premier office location – with Halcrow joining other high-profile occupiers of Bridgewater Place that include its newest occupant, Vaultex UK Ltd, which took 10,496 sq ft (975 m), GB Oils, Vestas Celtic and David Wilson Homes.

Rick de Blaby, Chief Executive of MEPC said, “We are pleased that Halcrow has chosen Birchwood Park for its new offices in the North West. Letting activity has remained steady over the last quarter across all our Estates. Our developments, such as Bridgewater Place, attract companies of all sizes and we are continuing to invest in improving the occupational offer. Further to the existing amenities, our parks will soon provide 4 star hotels enabling companies to accommodate their clients and regional representatives when in town. Our priority is to continue to support companies of all sizes and structures, ensuring that their staff continue to work in an environment that is safe, convenient and attractive.”

Bridgewater Place was last year named regional winner of the British Council for Offices Commercial Workspace award. It then went on to secure for the park the Property Executive North of England Office Award for Excellence. Latterly, Bridgewater Place’s architects BDP won a gold award in the Roses Design Award commercial project category.

Jonathan Walsh, Managing Director at Birchwood Park, added: “This flagship development has proved successful in attracting and accommodating global, national and local companies – a combination of flexible buildings, easy access and a variety of facilities make Birchwood Park more than just a workplace. Having observed strong demand for Bridgewater Place we are confident that this will continue to remain steady until the final two buildings are fully let.”

John Daly, Halcrow’s regional director, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our North West business into a first class office space, which will provide an enviable environment for our current and future staff.”

Michael Hawkins, Partner at WHR, commented: “This latest letting continues to demonstrate Birchwood Park’s ability to differentiate itself from alternative business locations. Birchwood Park provides so much more than just high quality office accommodation - it also offers an environment that stimulates employees providing a far greater work/life balance”

Richard Wharton of King Sturge commented that they were continuing to receive a strong level of interest in Bridgewater Place resulting in terms being submitted for two further suites within the scheme to blue chip companies. Suites remain available from 3,435sqft to full floors of 12,180sqft and 13,953sqft. 2 adjoining floors would also combine to provide 24,352sqft.

Halcrow took occupation in mid July 2008

Joint agents acting on behalf of MEPC for Birchwood Park are King Sturge and WHR.

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Birchwood Park MD named Warrington Business Person of the Year

MEPC Birchwood Park managing director, Jonathan Walsh, has been named Business Person of the Year at the Warrington Business Awards.

Jonathan joined Birchwood Park 8 years ago and during this time, the 123 acre business park has grown to accommodate over 145 companies, including Sony Ericsson, Atkins, Serco and AMEC and a workforce of over 4,200, a figure which Jonathan hopes to bring to 7,500 in the next five years.

Since becoming Managing Director MEPC Birchwood Park has scored Warrington’s largest deal, and accounts for approximately half the deals in the area (Warrington Annual Property Review, 2008).

The award-winning grade A 250,000 sq ft Bridgewater Place has enabled MEPC Birchwood Park to match the increasing quality of city centre office stock. In the last 9 months, over 50,000 sq ft of space has been let it and now counts organisations such as the Department of Work and Pensions, GB Oils and David Wilson Homes among its occupiers, along with recent arrival, cash processing management firm, Vaultex UK.

Widely acknowledged as Warrington’s commercial hub, MEPC Birchwood Park recently announced the imminent launch of a 103 bedroom Ramada Encore hotel, which will further raise its competitiveness in the North West commercial property market as it becomes the first park in the MEPC group and one of the first few in the country to feature a hotel.

Said Jonthan at the awards ceremony: "I was particularly proud that my father Paul was with me at the awards dinner. He is the man who inspired me from a very early age to do what I now do and gave me the understanding that having a passion for what you do is a prerequisite to doing it well. Invariably when an individual wins a business award there is an unseen team of people stood behind the recipient without whom there would be no story to tell. At Birchwood Park we have over 50 such people who day in day out have made the park what it now is."

"I accept this award on behalf of the Birchwood Park team, who share my pride in what we have achieved and my vision of what we can achieve in the future."

Image courtesey of the Warrington Guardian newspaper

ENVIRONMENTAL ACCREDITATION FOR BIRCHWOOD PARK

The facilities team for the award winning MEPC Birchwood Park, CB Richard Ellis, has won an environmental management accreditation, demonstrating the Park’s dedication to environmental responsibility.

ISO 14001 certification confirms the team’s achievement of a series of international requirements, providing a framework for the development of an environmental management system spanning a wide range of areas, including energy and water consumption and recycling.

Said MEPC Birchwood Park’s managing director, Jonathan Walsh: “The certification sends out a powerful statement regarding our environmental credentials to all our stakeholders - whether they be our occupiers, potential occupiers or employees - that MEPC Birchwood Park is taking its environmental responsibility very seriously indeed.”

The ISO accreditation for the Park’s facilities management is the latest environmental achievement for MEPC Birchwood Park, which is also promoted by the Department of Transport as an example of best practise for its travel management plan.

MEPC Birchwood Park has an on-site travel coordinator, to provide commuter advice and help to occupiers. The Park has established a successful on-line car-share scheme, provides a free bus link to the town centre and local railway stations and is continually investing in improving facilties for cyclists.

BRIDGEWATER PLACE FLIES THE FLAG FOR BIRCHWOOD PARK

MEPC Birchwood Park has let over 40,000 sq ft (3,716 sq m) during the last nine months at its flagship property Bridgewater Place, including 10,496 sq ft (975 m) to its newest occupant, Vaultex UK Ltd.

Vaultex manages cash processing for banks at sites across the UK, and its Bridgewater Place office will provide a new national support operation.

It will be staffed by a 90 strong team, mainly comprising current employees transferring from other North West sites, and a small number of new recruits.

Said Vaultex’ human resources director, John Arnott: “Bridgewater Place’s accessibility was a key factor in its selection, as were the on-site facilities, such as the meeting and restaurant amenities, gym and fitness centre and nursery.”

Vaultex’ neighbours at Bridgewater Place include David Wilson Homes, the Department of Work and Pensions, wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Celtic and GB Oils.

Bridgewater Place was recently named regional winner of the British Council for Offices Commercial Workspace award. It secured for the park the Property Executive North of England Office Award for Excellence, and its architects BDP won a gold award in the Roses Design Award commercial project category.

Said Birchwood Park’s managing director, Jonathan Walsh: “Bridgewater Place is attracting the kind of occupiers and accolades that reaffirm the park’s status at the top of the region’s office market. It is a “must-see” property for those seeking grade A space in the North West.”

BIRCHWOOD PARK HOTEL FIRST

An £8 million, 103 bedroom Ramada Encore hotel is under construction at Birchwood Park Warrington, now the first business park in the MEPC group and one of the first few in the country, to feature a hotel.

The launch of the 35,705sq ft (3,317 sq m) Ramada Encore Warrington in winter 2008 will further raise the competitiveness of Birchwood Park, and that of Warrington, in the North West commercial property market.

It will also see the creation of approximately 60 full- and part-time jobs for the local economy.

The hotel will be a new leisure service for Warrington’s business and consumer markets, offering a restaurant, bar and coffee shop, as well as contemporary guest rooms and work zone with data ports and free wifi for business travelers.

It joins Birchwood Park’s extensive portfolio of services, including The Centre with its meeting and restaurant amenities, the Alive and Well gym and fitness centre and Busy Nought to Fives nursery.

Said MEPC Birchwood Park’s managing director, Jonathan Walsh: “The hotel will affirm Birchwood Park as a leading North West destination for business and increase its competitiveness against city centre locations.”

The Ramada Encore is being developed by Ramcore Hotels and managed by BDL Management which also owns and operates other branded hotels such as Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn.

Ewan Campbell, managing director of Ramcore, said: “We look forward to this new opportunity to deliver our high-quality, value for money service. Birchwood Park Business Park is a development of increasing stature within the North West office market, and we are confident that our presence on the park will bring considerable mutual benefit.”