Hillesden Trust represented by Albion Land Asset Management Ltd, has fully let its Brackley Office Campus on Buckingham Road, Brackley, South Northamptonshire, which was formerly the home of DLC, the debt collections agency, which is comprised of four two-storey modern buildings totalling 46,465 sq ft (4,317 sq m).
DLC consolidated operations in 2018 leaving the four buildings vacant and the future uncertain for the site as an office location. The whole campus has now been upgraded and successfully let to three substantial companies employing a combined 1,270 people in the town.
Avara Foods, one of the UK’s largest food businesses, supplying chicken and turkey to some of the biggest supermarkets and restaurants in the country, has taken Building 1, totalling 9,210 sq ft. Avara is already the largest employers in the town with 1,000 staff across its sites. This letting will enable the company to provide improved office facilities for its staff.
Andrew Brodie, people & communications director, Avara Foods commented: “With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic we needed more space for our office-based colleagues to work. Our existing office space at our Willow Road site is being converted to provide new, modern amenities for our factory colleagues, including canteen facilities and new changing rooms. The Brackley Office Campus seemed an obvious choice, being close-by, modern and providing ample parking. We’re excited to move in and start this new chapter.”
EKFB, an industry leading civil engineering joint venture specialising in the design, construction, operation, financing and maintenance of railway networks, has taken Buildings 2 & 3 totalling 22,707 sq ft housing circa 200 jobs post-COVID. The offices will be an integral facility for EKFB’s HS2 operation.
Graham Hughes, construction director, EKFB said: “We are delighted to be based on the edge of such a delightful and historic town with great connectivity and tradition of technological advances. We see Brackley as the perfect base for us to recruit local talented people to join EKFB on the HS2 project and provide many local business opportunities through our supply chain.”
Neighbourly UK, part of Neighbourly Brands, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands, has taken Building 4, totalling 14,548 sq ft for its UK Training Centre and Head Office. The new facility will accommodate 70 associates.
Philip Carr, UK managing director, Neighbourly added: “The new facility will provide increased training space for our 300 UK franchisees and a superb working environment for all our associates. We are delighted with the location and the convenience of Brackley as we continue to build our team.”
Brackley is an expanding town with a population of more than 14,500 and a further 2,750 houses planned during the next five years. Home to the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, Brackley is six miles from the Silverstone race circuit and has direct access to the A43 dual carriageway which links to the M40 and M1 motorways.
Hillesden Trust and Albion Land have invested in numerous projects in Brackley and Bicester to provide workspace and help create jobs. In Brackley, Network 401 is nearly complete with the addition of the new Sainsburys, care home, Marstons and Arrow Park production and warehouse estate. In Bicester, its new technology and manufacturing business park known as Catalyst Bicester will include up to 250,000 sq ft of workspace and a David Lloyd Health & Fitness Club. The project is due to commence with first phase buildings to be completed in autumn 2021.
Simon Parsons, director, Albion Land said: “To have fully let Brackley Office Campus is very positive news for Brackley. Where there were four empty buildings, these are now home to three large and well-known companies securing and creating good quality jobs in the local area. Despite the global pandemic, the lettings have concluded reflecting all three business’ long term growth plans coupled with the attractiveness of the high-quality air-conditioned buildings, on-site parking and everything that Brackley and the local area have to offer.”
Chris White, managing director, White Commercial added: “We have witnessed a good level of demand from companies for these four modern buildings at Brackley Office Campus. These three growing companies will benefit from the Campus’ flexible accommodation, access to a quality workforce and excellent road links connecting the M1 and M40. I expect the Brackley Office Campus to thrive, particularly as Brackley’s amenities continue to develop and the town becomes an increasingly important employment location.”
The terms of the deal are confidential. The lettings agents were White Commercial and Colliers International.
