Expert Office Advice

Plans to redevelop the disused Mayfield train station in Manchester City have been announced, with funding for a feasibility study into the redevelopment already agreed by a group of government departments.

If plans get the go ahead, the redevelopment would accommodate 5,000 office workers, mainly civil staff. The project is already being described as Whitehall of the North.
The disused railway station is situated in the heart of Manchester City centre and its fate should be known by the end of autumn 2010.

If the plans are approved, work is expected to start by 2012 and be completed in two years. The site would feature 700,000 sq ft of excellent office space, ideally suitable to move over 5,000 civil service jobs out of London.

Browse available Manchester Office Space on OfficeConnection.com

A new report from commercial real estate information company CoStar shows that the Manchester city office market saw a 131,394 square feet take-up in Q1 of 2010.

This is 2.5 times more that the take-up recorded in Q4 of 2009, however, it’s 23% down compared to the first quarter of 2009.

According to the stats report, Manchester is gradually getting back in shape. But with 4.1 million square feet still available in the city centre, the recovery is slow.

The annual European Cities Monitor 2009 has named London, Paris and Frankfurt as the three best business cities in Europe. Carried out by Cushman & Wakefield since 1990, the survey invites 500 of Europe’s biggest companies to express their opinions and score each city on various criteria.

Birmingham was announced as the best performing city in Europe this year, as it made the sharpest move up the list by seven positions.

34 European cities are assessed taking into consideration the overall quality of life, telecoms, access to markets, quality of staff, cost of business accommodation and transport networks.

Rank 2009 (position in 2008)

1. (1) London
2. (2) Paris
3. (3) Frankfurt
4. (5) Barcelona
5. (4) Brussels
6. (7) Madrid
7. (9) Munich
8. (6) Amsterdam
9. (8) Berlin
10. (13) Milan
(…)
14. (21) Birmingham
16. (14) Manchester
24. (28) Leeds
29. (27) Glasgow

Download full report from EuropeanCitiesMonitor.eu (opens in a .pdf file)

Ugly architectural eyesores of Manchester now have a dedicated society, aimed at saving both grand and ordinary, cherished and neglected structures in the city.

The Manchester Modernist Society has been launched in Manchester by a small group of urban enthusiasts. Formed by Maureen Ward and Jack Hale, the society inspires people to look again at the buildings which are central to Manchester’s cityscape.

The society recognises that the city by its very nature erases itself as it expands throughout history, they enjoy the untidy relics of past lives it leaves in its wake. (more…)

Chester Station will be receiving £1.4 million in funding which will go towards providing new passenger facilities such as a waiting room, an improved access to platforms and new office accommodation at the historic Grade II listed train station.

The investment comes from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), which leads the regeneration and economic development of England’s Northwest.

According to Mark Hughes, Executive Director (Economic Development, NWDA) following the recent increase of direct train services between London and Chester, a better station will help businesses to capitalise on new opportunities. (more…)

According to a new report, Liverpool may be considered one of the best spots in the UK to relocate a business to due to its cost effective occupancy rates.

The research was carried out by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) and shows that occupancy costs were down by 3.1% in the last year, priced at as low as £31.50 per square foot.

Compared to other main UK cities, it was £13 less than in Manchester (£44.50 per square foot) and £40.75 less than in the City of London (£72.25 per square foot).

CBRE spokesperson Mark Worthington said that Liverpool can offer office space that is as good as anywhere else in the country, but at a significantly lower rate.

Office Connection has a range of affordable Liverpool office space available to view now.

According to Prof Peter Stoney, business expert at the University of Liverpool’s management school, Liverpool’ Capital of Culture status in 2008 has softened some of the detrimental effects of the nationwide economic recession. As Liverpool Daily Post reports, companies are relocating to Liverpool that otherwise wouldn’t have, and an improved quality of life and cultural offering is helping to tackle Liverpool’s problem of a draining population.

Looking t relocate your business to Liverpool? Find affordable office space in and around Liverpool or call us on 0800 2300400 to find out more.

The plans to develop nearly 135,000 square feet of Grade A office space and a hotel facility with views over Liverpool’s waterfront have been announced. Developers now hope to secure planning permission for this development on Riverside Drive.

The site would feature two modern office block buildings and an eleven-storey hotel in this fantastic location on the edge of the city centre, with Brunswick railway station situated just a few minutes away.

Find available serviced office space in central Liverpool and surrounding areas.

Senior executives from 500 leading European companies have named Manchester as the best city for business in the UK outside London. The research, carried out by Cushman & Wakefield, stated that Manchester is the second most attractive UK city/region to invest in, base the business and expand it. The third position is taken by Birmingham.

Looking at a broader list of cities in Europe that are potentially great for developing business, Manchester moved from 18th to 14th place, overtaking places like Dublin and defeating every UK city outside London. Another UK city – Birmingham - has retained its position as the 21st best business city in Europe.

(more…)

The disused land right at the end of the M32 in Bristol will see two office block buildings built next year. This is the final stage of the Cabot Circus development in Bristol; the work is supposed to be starting at the beginning of 2009.

A modern office space totalling nearly 20,000 square meters will replace currently unused land in front of the busy shopping centre’s car park. The buildings are expected to be finished by next summer.

The Cabot Circus development included an array of amenities such as retail outlets, cafes, student accommodation and houses, built since 2005 as a part of the £500 million development.

Browse serviced office space in Bristol and surrounding areas.