Former Ipswich police office provides future residential opportunity

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A former police office in the centre of Ipswich is being sold with residential planning consent through Eddisons’ agency in Suffolk with a guide price of £650,000.

Eddisons is acting as the sole agent under on behalf of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Suffolk in the sale of 10 Museum Street, a Grade II Listed property within Ipswich’s central Conservation Area.

Totalling 8,264 sq ft (767.64 sq m), currently the space is arranged over basement, ground, first and second floors – with loft – in the main building which fronts Museum Street – and a rear extension and connecting walkway.

The existing car park has space for 8 vehicles and there is a small courtyard area between the two sections of the property which is being sold through Eddisons as part the OPCC’s planned programme to consolidate the constabulary’s property estate in Suffolk.

The agent advises that planning consent has been granted for the conversion of the property to a 5-bedroom house fronting Museum Street and 5 apartments of either 1 or 2 bedrooms. Additionally, the development scheme proposed a 17-space cycle store and a small communal storage area.

Steven Mudd, who is leading Eddisons’ agency on the property, believes that it offers a high quality, niche residential opportunity for the right developer.

He said, “It’s quite rare to be instructed on a Listed building in such a central location – in any town – for sale with residential development consent in place. Most of these opportunities have been developed-out during the past two decades.

“We’re expecting strong interest from serious parties in 10 Museum Street who can envisage transforming this attractive, but redundant, property into an impressive landmark, town centre residential scheme.”

Viewing of 10 Museum Street, Ipswich is strictly by appointment only through Eddisons as the sole agent.

To arrange a viewing or for more information, contact Steven Mudd, Eddisons, 01284 702655, [email protected].

Q1 & Q2 offer an A1 answer for retail space in Market Harborough

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There’s no question that over 10,000 sq ft of newly built retail space – available as a whole or two distinct units – offer premium retail space for operators looking for a prominent location in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.

That’s the view of sole agent, Eddisons, who is under instruction on the Class A1 non-foods, bulky goods, Class E and B8 with trade counter retail space to let on Welland Business Park, Valley Way in the Leicestershire market town.

Units Q1 & Q2 are in a prominent position with roadside frontage on to Valley Way, off Rockingham Road – one of the main arterial roads in to Market Harborough.

Nearby national brand retailers and trade counter operators include B&M, Carpetright, Howdens and Halford – with a new, large ALDI store consented nearby.

As single floor units, they are being offered to let as a whole, 10,100 sq ft (938.29 sq m), or as two separate units of 5,050 sq ft (469.14 sq m) by Eddisons who advises that there is scope for occupiers to add a first floor in space within an eaves height of 6 metres. Each unit has a roller shutter loading door to the side.

The units are being offered with over 50 on-site parking spaces, with EV charging provision, and both units are build complete and ready for immediate occupation.

For more information, or to arrange a viewing of both or either Q1 or Q2 units, contact Amanda Lawrence at Eddisons on 01536 483400 or on [email protected].

Return to property for latest Eddisons executive recruit

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The latest recruit to Eddisons business in the East Midlands is returning to the property sector after a brief spell in the energy supply industry.

Shasna Begum joins as a Surveying Executive and will be based in the firm’s Kettering and Northampton offices where she will support Eddisons agency and professional services teams across the region.

Before working in sales administration for an energy supplier in Northampton, Shasna worked in the professional property sector for 17 years, latterly as Head of Business Support for surveyors at Camsure Homes in Cambridge.

Shasna is currently in her second year of studying towards an HND in Business at the University of Stroud College where she is the student president. As well as supporting the college’s charitable events in that role, she is involved in the Community Kitchen movement which helps vulnerable families, groups and individuals.

Welcoming Shasna to Eddisons, Gilbert Harvey, Director, said, “As well as our active Kettering & Northampton client portfolios, expansion of our regional reach means that top class back-office support for our commercial surveying teams is crucial in serving the needs of current and future clients.

“Shasna brings extensive business experience at an executive level and we’re glad she’s returned ‘home’ to the property sector.”

Freehold sold in Newmarket industrial location

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Eddisons’ Cambridge team has confirmed the sale of the 7,809 sq ft (725.48 sq m) industrial premises on Depot Road, Newmarket, in a deal in which Eddisons acted as the sole agent on behalf of the vendor.

Launched for sale last autumn, Beechwood House is a freehold warehouse unit with two storey offices and a large yard, on a self-contained 0.45 acre site in the town’s Exning Road commercial district. It was offered for sale with vacant possession.

The premises have been sold to a private investor for an undisclosed sum, but the freehold was marketed at a guide price of £550,000.

Eddisons understands that the new owner intends to refurbish and update the property – capitalising on the widely acknowledged shortage of modern industrial units available to let in the Cambridge to Newmarket corridor, adds the agent.

For more information on the availability of industrial units to let or freehold premises for sale, contact Ben Green at Eddisons on 01223 467155 or through eddisons.com.

Eddisons boosts North West valuation team with new director appointment

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Fast-growing property consultancy Eddisons has appointed a new director within the firm’s valuation team in the North West.

Based in Eddisons’ Manchester offices, Josh Northcott has joined from Colliers, where he was an associate director of the firm’s international valuation and advisory services.

With 15 years’ commercial property industry experience, Josh specialises in land and property valuation across a range of sectors for secured lending, accounting and purchase or disposals.

Phil Deakin, regional director at Eddisons and head of the firm’s North West and West Midlands valuation team, said: “We are really pleased to welcome Josh on board, marking the appointment of yet another high-calibre team member, who brings with him extensive experience of working in an multi-national practice.

“Valuation is a growing area of Eddisons’ business, with more than 100 people in our team nationally and increasing demand from our clients for high quality valuation advice across the commercial and residential sectors. The continued expansion of Eddisons’ North West valuation team complements our growth in other regions and targeted acquisitions in areas such as the South West with Bristol-based Andrew Forbes Chartered Surveyors.”

Also in the 10-strong North West valuation team, graduate surveyor Kate Smith, who joined Eddisons in 2022, has passed her Assessment of Professional Competence exams to become a qualified member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Phil Deakin added: “Kate has gone from strength to strength since she became a member of our valuation team and we are really proud of her achievement in becoming chartered and attaining registered valuer status.

“It is tremendous to see our younger colleagues, in particular, develop and progress in their careers with us. At Eddisons we are focused on nurturing talent and providing our clients with excellent advice across a broad range of sectors and geographies.”

Following a string of acquisitions, including that of SDL Property Auctions in December, Eddisons now employs around 500 people across a network of more than 30 UK offices.

Leeds City Council decarbonisation leader joins Eddisons as head of sustainability

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Eddisons has appointed Nazar Soofi, former head of decarbonisation at Leeds City Council, to the new role of head of sustainability and decarbonisation.

The move marks a major strategic hire for the growing property consultancy as it launches its own sustainability centre of excellence, based at its Leeds head offices. Headed by Soofi, the new centre will act as a hub to provide leading-edge advice on carbon reduction and environmental best practice across the public and private sectors.

Credited with delivering the £50m decarbonisation programme at Leeds City Council that has become a global benchmark for sustainable urban development, Soofi has led the transformation of more than 80 sites in the city since 2021, including Leeds Town Hall, Civic Hall and Central Library, transitioning them from fossil fuels reliance to renewable energy.

Prior to taking on the city council’s decarbonisation mission he had a 25-year engineering career, delivering major fast-track projects for organisations such as Emirates Global Aluminium and engineering giant Bechtel. He has worked in the UK and internationally on high profile schemes including the Channel Tunnel Railway (right) and Abu Dhabi’s main container traffic hub, Khalifa Port, in fields as diverse as mining and civil engineering.

Soofi is renowned in Leeds and beyond for his expertise in delivering one of the world’s most successful urban decarbonisation programmes. He is a regular keynote speaker for Salix, the government body that provides grant funding for public sector decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects.

“I’m really excited to take on this new role with Eddisons, which as a business is ahead of the curve on sustainability. My appointment is testament to the fact that they are fully committed to supporting their clients to realising their net zero ambitions,” said Soofi.

“The new centre of excellence will be an accessible one stop shop providing practical advice on anything from a cradle to grave project to troubleshooting, and the most practical ways to achieve sustainability aims. I am looking forward to working with private and public sector organisations and steering sustainable and environmentally conscious practices right across the UK.”

Anthony Spencer, Partner at Eddisons said: “Naz is a leading light in the field of decarbonisation and sustainability and we are absolutely thrilled that he is joining Eddisons, where his contribution will enable us to make a step change in the services we can offer our clients in providing the very best advice and practical assistance on sustainability.

“We are passionate about sustainability and there is huge and growing demand from our clients for advice on best practice in this area. Headed by Naz, our new centre of excellence will be a ground-breaking facility that will act as a beacon in the progress to net zero.”

Founded in Yorkshire in 1844, Eddisons is one of the fastest growing property consultancies. Following a string of acquisitions, the firm now employs around 500 people across a network of more than 30 UK offices.

Eddisons appointed as local agent for former Wilko store in Bury St Edmunds

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The Bury St Edmunds office of Eddisons has been appointed to market the former Wilko retail store & site in Risbygate Street, in the historic town centre.

Eddisons is acting as joint sole agent with London-based agent StQ2 in promoting the premises and site on Risbygate Street to let on a new lease or for freehold sale with interest expected for continued retail or redevelopment for alternative uses, subject to planning permission.

The 39,000 sq ft premises stand on a 1.236 acre site close to Bury St Edmunds prime town centre shopping centre with plentiful parking of a number of tenures nearby.

With retail frontage onto 88-89 Risbygate Street, a small section of the property sits within the town centre conservation area, with the bulk of the site outside.

Risbygate Street is a mixed-use location in the heart of Bury St Edmunds. There are other retailers & restaurateurs, a care home operator and the recent addition of new retirement living accommodation opposite the available site.

Simon Burton heads up Eddisons’ Bury St Edmunds office. Commenting on being appointed agent on this instruction, he said, “Independent and regional retail operators are underpinning the retail resilience of the town in bucking the trend of the national picture.

“Equally, the town continues to see continued residential development and regeneration of older sites for alternative uses.

“This is a prominent site in the town centre and will be of strong appeal to occupiers and developers alike, with strong early interest already received.’’

Viewing of the premises and site is strictly through the appointed agents.

For more information contact Simon Burton at Eddisons in Bury St Edmunds, at [email protected], on 01284 702655 or Mike Harris at StQ2, [email protected], on 020 7399 1949.

Delivering a Christmas gift to scene-stealing set builders

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Unit 3, Innovation Square

 

On the western outskirts of Pontefract, we were delighted to sell Unit 3 of the successful Innovation Square at the end of 2023.

A modern industrial unit in the popular Green Lane Industrial Park, Featherstone, the single storey development was perfect for scenic construction contractors J Foster Construction. The company, who has worked on productions for ITV and BBC, needed extra space for building their creations as well as storing and displaying them too.

We were able to sell the property to J Foster Construction, after renting for some time, over the asking price for our client, P&W Site Fixing. The stainless-steel fabrication designer was the owner occupier but decided to relocate to Castleford.

Getting the sale through just before Christmas would have been enough cause for celebration and it was the cherry on top of a fantastic year for our Bradford team, and associate director Matt Jennings in particular was singled out by our client for his services.

Kay Wilson from P&W Site Fixing exclaimed: “both [Matt] and Eddisons have been extremely professional and easy to deal with. I would not hesitate in recommending both of [their] services.”

For information on commercial and industrial property agency, get in touch with Matt Jennings on 07970 013852 or at [email protected].

Warehouse premises characterise Huntingdon’s industrial offer

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Two current warehouse instructions characterise the industrial property offer central Huntingdon & its surrounding district offer occupiers.

That’s the view of the local office of Eddisons who is acting as the sole agent under instruction on both sets of premises.

The first of the industrial instructions the agent is profiling this month is a modern, detached, 12, 326 sq ft workshop/warehouse at 9A Windover Court on Windover Road at the town’s St Peter’s Road Trading Estate.

The trading estate is the town’s principal industrial location where the business units & commercial premise have, on an ongoing basis, been refurbished and modernised in being re-purposed for industrial occupiers’ requirements.

9A Windover Court is a prime example. It has an internal height of 7.2 metres, two loading doors and on-site parking. Eddisons is instructed to let the premises on a new lease but advises that the owner may consider the sale of the freehold.

St Peter’s Road Trading Estate is well-located for Huntingdon town centre and the A14/A1(M). And it is proximity to these trunk roads, the former of which has undergone wholesale upgrade in the last few years, which makes Huntingdon an attractive location for industrial occupiers, driving the appeal for commercial properties in the surrounding district.

The second industrial instruction being profiled by Eddisons is Unit 2, The Crossways, Alconbury Hill.

A circa 20,000 sq ft warehouse with refurbished offices on first floor, Unit 2 The Crossways is one mile from Junction 14 of the A1(M). It’s a modern, semi-detached unit in a high profile location and is being offered to let on a new lease with extensive on-site parking.

It has an eaves height of 8 metres and dedicated site entrance gives access to the side for loading. The car park is at the front of the office section and leads on to the reception area.

Stephen Power, Director of Eddisons’ Huntingdon office, is leading the agency on both instructions and he believes they typify the commercial property offer of the local area.

He said, “St Peter’s Road Trading Estate is well established and is constantly renewing its accommodation to maintain appeal. In contrast, Alconbury Hill is an area of the district that has been coming through as a commercial destination in recent years.

“In 9A Windover Court and Unit 2 The Crossways, we have premises that will appeal to both indigenous industrial operators and those outside the area who are becoming familiar with the benefits Huntingdon district has to offer.”

Viewing of either units is strictly by appointment through Eddisons as the sole agent.

For more information or to arrange a viewing of either property, contact Stephen Power on the Huntingdon office phone number 01480 451578, at [email protected] or through eddisons.com.

Join in the new with last remaining unit to let at Lakes Business Park, St Ives

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Business has been brisk at Lakes Business Park in St Ives, Cambridgeshire where only one unit remains to let of the seven business units in the last scheme of the final phase of the development.

Eddisons is the sole agent instructed to let the final business unit, Unit 5 Beech Court.

Beech Court is the last of four business unit courtyard schemes in the final phase of the roadside development which is adjacent to the former A14, on the south side of the market town of St Ives.

Eddisons’ Huntingdon office confirms that all the business units at the other schemes in the final phase – Oak Court, Willow Court and Chestnut Court – are either let or sold, and now almost all at Beech Court are too with only Unit 5 remaining to let.

As light industrial premises, Unit 5 is 1,880 sq ft (175 sq m) of business space and is of steel portal frame construction under a pitched roof. Like all the units at Beech Court, Unit 5 has its own allocated parking space and there is a concrete apron in front of the loading door.

Lakes Business Park is adjacent to the A1307 road serving local traffic connecting Huntingdon and St Ives with the new Boxworth Services A14 interchange then onward connections to Cambridge the A14 & M11 to the south and west to the A14/M6 and A1(M) to the north.

The park is home to a range of office, R&D, light industrial and warehouse occupiers. Notable occupiers at the development include Vindis Bentley Cambridge, Cambridge Constabulary, Cambridgeshire Bathrooms and Centrado.

Viewing of Unit 5 at Beech Court, Lakes Business Park, St Ives is strictly by appointment through Eddisons as the sole agent.

To arrange a viewing or for more information, contact Matthew Hunt at the Huntingdon agency of Eddisons on 01480 451578, [email protected] or through eddisons.com.