Portsmouth’s leading workspace, Lakeside North Harbour, has secured a string of new lettings as business growth and investment picks up following the covid-19 pandemic.
Eco House Solutions, a provider of green energy solutions for residential and industrial property, has taken 3,122 sq ft of space, alongside concrete and waste management business Service Supply Network, which has signed up for a 2,246 sq ft office to support its continued expansion. Completing the trio with 3,724 sq ft of space is Visitor Chat, a live chat business specialising in automotive and property, which has relocated to Portsmouth from Southampton.
The trio of deals comes as Portsmouth City Council data finds that business investment in the region has grown by 2.4% in Q2 of 2021. While not yet back to pre-pandemic levels, the figures show that the city’s recovery is gaining momentum, with the rate of job creation in the region peaking at a near 25-year high, while claimant count for unemployment has decreased to 5.9%, the lowest since April 2020.
The new arrivals will join a diverse collection of existing occupiers already benefiting from Lakeside’s unique surroundings, vibrant community and quality of space including IBM, Virgin Media, Capita and AT&T. The 130-acre site is known for its abundance of blue and green space in the form of a large lake and wildlife walks around side, all supporting employee wellbeing and productivity.
Simon Bateman, asset manager at Lakeside North Harbour, commented:
“The trio of recent deals for Lakeside not only reflect the optimism felt among businesses in and around Portsmouth, but our ability to deliver a site that caters for a range of different businesses and requirements.
“Beyond the new lettings, it’s encouraging to see the city’s business and economic activity on the up. Portsmouth is a vibrant city with a friendly community that is gaining a reputation as a hotspot for entrepreneurs – it’s a great place to start and grow a business. While London has, for decades, had the monopoly on top talent, businesses are starting to realise that there are other options, and even advantages, outside of London.”
Events and networking at Lakeside resumed last summer following the end of COVID-19 restrictions, with ‘Lakeside Live’, a live music event with street food and activities including Segway obstacle courses, archery and axe throwing.
Marc Monet, Operations Manager at Visitor Chat said:
“Lakeside is the flagship office destination on the south coast, and to us it represents everything that a tech driven company is about. This strategic move to Lakeside supports our growth strategy – it is a fantastic location for clients, will allow us to attract new talent, and provides significant network opportunities across the real estate and automotive industries.
“Community is key to the campus and to our business, and, whilst we’re all working in new flexible ways, having space to collaborate and engage with our close knit team is hugely important to us.”
Vail Williams acted on behalf of Lakeside North Harbour to secure the deal.
Russell Mogridge, Lead Partner of Vail Williams’ Business Space Agency team, added:
“We are experiencing strong demand for high quality office environments as businesses encourage their workforce to hybrid work between home and office. For this reason, with its award-winning landscaped grounds and safe office environment, we have seen Lakeside attract the bulk of enquiries on the M27 corridor – and have recently put a further three office suites under offer.”
Cllr Ben Dowling, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development commented:
“We are delighted to celebrate that three new businesses will be joining the community at Lakeside, as we continue to emerge from what has been a challenging period for everyone.
“As a region, we understand the importance of achieving that critical work-life balance – and Lakeside North Harbour offers a fantastic environment for national and regional businesses alike, with facilities that meet the changing demands of both employers and their employees. We have no doubt that our new occupiers will benefit from the campus at Lakeside and we wish them every success as they all continue to grow their businesses.”
