Acting on behalf of Kingscrown, independent Manchester-based property consultancy, Edwards, has let 6,600 sq ft at London House in Poynton to mydentist having agreed a 15-year lease.
Quoting rental levels at the 14,000 sq ft building are from £16.50 per sq ft.
The dental practice is relocating from its previous premises, also in Poynton, to the modern three-storey building and will occupy the whole of the ground and part of the first floor.
London House, a former headquarters, was acquired by Kingscrown Land & Commercial in 2014 and is also home to car insurance provider, Go Shorty, events company, Bien Venue and HDS Lighting.
Oliver Woodall, associate director at Edwards, said: “Kingscrown is a proactive landlord and was open to possibility of the existing change of use from office space to medical to facilitate this deal.
“It continues to invest in this prominently located building and has recently completed another partial refurbishment of the first floor to provide a further seven flexible office suites from 150 per sq ft.”
Thomas Sharples, of Bluebell Real Estate, the Stockport-based building owner, said: “This alternative use is a new direction for the building which has, to date, accommodated office users only.
“There was a strong will to work with mydentist – the combination of the covenant strength, the 15-year commitment, and the significant tenant Cap-Ex, made this deal very attractive to us.”
He added: “This deal underscores the importance, in today’s office market, of taking a flexible approach to this type of building. The new mydentist facility will be an asset for Poynton and will bring London House into the eyeline of the community.
“There is one wing remaining in the building where we have recently undertaken a speculative refurbishment, providing smaller suites from 150 sq ft. We have had some early interest from businesses on the medical sector fringes, and we are confident there is scope to cater for quasi-medical users alongside traditional office users.”
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Blackpool’s Grand Theatre has announced the completion of almost a year-long restoration and repair project, supported by North West-based architectural, planning, and building surveying practice Cassidy + Ashton.
The work included repairing the Grade II-listed building’s stonework, replacing and repointing damaged brickwork, restoring the Victorian iron rainwater goods, and replacing large areas of slate and lead on the two acres of roof.
It also included the restoration of the theatre’s famous Grand sign and ‘pineapple’ finial which was destroyed due to storms in 2018. The project was funded with support from a £450,000 grant from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme and work began in July 2024.
Mark Trickett, senior chartered building surveyor, Cassidy + Ashton, said: “This refurbishment work will significantly improve a Grade II-listed heritage asset and mean the theatre can continue to be enjoyed by the local community for generations to come.”
The funding from The Arts Council marks the first phase of funding towards a £15m capital development plan which will futureproof the theatre, enrich Church Street and improve the experience of customers and visiting companies.
Adam Knight, chief executive, Blackpool Grand Theatre, said: “We are hugely grateful to Arts Council England for this significant and very timely investment in our heritage building, which has been struggling to cope with the impact of climate change and recent Irish Sea storms.”
Rebecca Ball, North area director, Arts Council England, said: “This is an exciting time for Blackpool Grand. The successful completion of this restoration paves the way for future development, while the theatre continues to showcase an eclectic and diverse programme for its audiences.”
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Market Centre, Crewe
Real Estate Investors (REI) has signed a three-year lease extension with Liverpool-based retailer B&M on the 15,446 sq ft unit occupied at The Market Centre, Crewe.
B&M’s presence, alongside High Street names such as Iceland, Clarks, Ernest Jones, Max Spielman, Superdrug, Peacocks, The Works, Warren James and Pep & Co, has made The Market Centre a Cheshire retail destination which is visited by around 100,000 people per week.
REI has appointed joint agents Scott Robertson at Creative Retail and Dan Turner at Jackson Criss to let the remaining vacant units.
Scott Robertson said: “The Market Centre comprises 25 retail units with ground floor retail sales accommodation and first floor ancillary. In total, there is 154,130 sq ft of retail and ancillary accommodation.
“We have some exciting announcements coming soon, including a new café which will bolster the other recent food and beverage openings in the town, plus a new greengrocer and butchers. Units that are still available range from 500 to 30,000 sq ft.”
Cheshire East Council has secured funding to support businesses and organisations to take on vacant commercial premises in Crewe town centre. This includes grants towards the cost of fitting out properties and equipment.
Donna Barnes, at law firm SHMA, acted for REI and B&M was advised by lawyers Gordons.
REI announced an orderly sale of assets in January 2024 and will consider a sale of the entire scheme in line with its stated policy.
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20 Chapel Street
Full-service law firm, Irwin Mitchell, is moving to larger office space in Liverpool after a sustained period of growth since opening in the city.
Irwin Mitchell opened in Liverpool in May 2022 and after a successful three years is now expanding into larger premises at 20 Chapel Street, moving from its fifth floor site at Horton House, Exchange Flags, nearby.
The firm’s activity in Merseyside is led by personal injury partners Jonathan Betts and Matthew Garson as well as planning and environment partner, Pamela Chesterman, who was named as Outstanding Lawyer of the Year at the Liverpool Law Society awards in 2024.
The new office is set up to support hybrid working and is around 50% larger than the firm’s previous space, including client meeting rooms and space for colleagues to work collaboratively.
The firm currently serves more than 2,000 clients in the region but hopes to grow significantly over the coming years.
Jonathan Betts said: “Our expansion in Liverpool showcases our continued growth and dedication to the Merseyside region. We’re becoming more entwined with the Liverpool community each day and we’re looking forward to helping more clients from our larger office.”
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Aviary
Ask Real Estate has confirmed the practical completion of Aviary, a Grade A office refurbishment project located in Manchester’s central business district.
M&G Real Estate acquired the building in 2022 and appointed Ask Real Estate as development manager to spearhead the extensive refurbishment.
This project aligns with the emerging brown to green agenda, transforming the 112,000 sq ft building into a sustainable and wellbeing-led office scheme.
The £12.5m transformation, completed by main contractor TSK, has delivered a best-in-class, amenity-rich workspace designed to meet the growing demand from local and international businesses.
Aviary is now net zero carbon in operation and is on track to achieve a NABERS 5-star rating, BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification, and EPC A rating.
By choosing to refurbish rather than demolish and rebuild, M&G has reduced carbon emissions by approximately 69% over the building’s full life cycle.
Key features of the refurbishment include a new Booth Street entrance with planters creating a pocket of public realm, enhanced health and wellbeing amenities such as a communal roof terrace with a pavilion overlooking Manchester Town Hall, a fully fitted gym, a multi-purpose exercise studio, and a business lounge. The building also incorporates a ‘Smart Spaces’ platform to provide a seamless digital experience.
The efficient floorplates in Aviary offer a full CAT A finish with exposed services, providing sustainable office space over seven floors, with sizes ranging from 13,347 sq ft to 103,390 sq ft.
Jamie Hills, development director at Ask Real Estate, said: “We are thrilled to see Aviary reach practical completion. This project exemplifies our commitment to delivering sustainable and innovative office spaces that cater to the evolving needs of businesses. Aviary sets a new standard for office refurbishments in Manchester city centre, and we are excited to welcome occupiers to this exceptional workspace.”
Joint letting agents on Aviary are CBRE and Sixteen Real Estate.
Matt Shufflebottom, director, office agency at CBRE, said: “To have over 100,000 sq ft of Grade A space of this calibre landing in Manchester’s central business district is very welcome news for the supply-constrained office market. The attention to sustainability and tech within the building will appeal to occupiers seeking best in class space in the city centre.”