Rapleys property and planning consultancy has expanded into offices recently refurbished by developer Robert Hitchins Ltd in the heart of Bristol.
The company has taken a 10-year lease with Robert Hitchins Ltd with a five-year break on 1,798 sq ft on the second floor of PS21 in Prince Street, at £26 per sq ft.
An expanding team and the introduction of a new service line were the main drivers behind the move. Rapleys now has a dedicated team in the Bristol area focusing on Building Consultancy, has expanded its Town Planning department and last year established a new service, Neighbourly Matters, based at the Bristol office.
Partner Simon Harbour said the company decided to migrate its Clifton branch to the city centre to aid the expansion of Rapleys’ presence in the South West and benefit from a more modern and comfortable working environment.
“It’s been exciting to see our team in Bristol expand over the last year to better meet our client’s needs and our new office in Prince Street will only help us grow further,” he said.
“PS21 suits us exceptionally well as it has a great position in the heart of Bristol with good transport links which will make us more accessible for our clients. We actively encourage clients to hotdesk in our offices and this space provides a flexible environment to facilitate this.”
Senior Development Manager for Robert Hitchins Ltd, Michael Plimmer, welcomed Rapleys. “This is our fifth letting at PS21 since the refurbishment was completed less than a year ago. There is good demand for these smaller suites and we are delighted that only the top floor suite of 4,069 sq ft is now available,” he said.
The letting agents in Bristol are Knight Frank and CBRE.
Andy Smith from Knight Frank said: “It’s great to see the quality of the refurbishment drawing another high-calibre occupier to PS21. With the remainder of the 2nd floor now under offer, only the top floor is left available and we have strong interest in this too.”
PS21 provides light, open office space complete with air conditioning, shower facilities, fitted kitchens, bike store and parking. It is close to city amenities and is suitable for a wide range of occupiers.
The offices were the home of the TSB’s 300 finance, communications and HR staff until 2015. They were acquired by Robert Hitchins Ltd in 2016.
The other tenants at PS21 are national recruitment agency Blue Arrow, essential business services provider kinex, global engineering company Ricardo, and Concert Consulting.
Robert Hitchins is one of the leading property developers and investors in the South West and South Wales. It deals with the full development process from site acquisition and planning through to development and investment.
