Engineering, energy and sustainability consultancy Hydrock has leased offices in the refurbished period Wharton Place office building in Cardiff city centre to enable it to continue to grow in South Wales.
The company has moved from Cowbridge Road East to take 5,288 sq ft on the third floor of Wharton Place on a 10 year lease deal agreed off a quoting rental of £17.95 per sq ft. Property consultancy Knight Frank acted on behalf of LaSalle Investment Management in the transaction and McNeil Consultants represented Hydrock.
Wharton Place has undergone a major £1 million refurbishment, designed to retain the character of the original building while delivering new, high quality and contemporary office space, a new entrance lobby and remodelled full height atrium and break out space.
Hydrock is an award-winning, multidisciplinary engineering design consultancy with its headquarters in Bristol. Its Cardiff office employs more than 60 people and it has plans to increase that to 85. Its projects in the region include Landore Court in Cardiff, Central Quay, Techniquest, and further afield Llys Cadwyn in Pontypridd, and the Palace Theatre in Swansea.
Dan Beynon, Hydrock’s regional director for Wales, said: “We have established a leading presence in Cardiff as a fully integrated engineering, energy and sustainability consultancy, and this office move gives us scope to expand still further whilst enjoying the flexibility that hybrid working offers us.
“Our love for eye-catching design spotted the exposed timber roof structure of Wharton House, and I know we will be pleased to call this space home for Hydrock in Wales.”
Mark Sutton, partner at Knight Frank in Cardiff, said: “The landlord’s investment and approach in refurbishing Wharton Place has very cleverly brought the building bang up to date in terms of its design and appeal to those seeking a working environment to attract employees back into the office, while retaining the period features that make the building so distinctive.”
Knight Frank and Cooke & Arkwright are joint letting agents on the Wharton Place building. Mark Siddons at Cooke & Arkwright said: “Wharton Place has a great location for city centre amenities and excellent existing tenants – Waterstone’s book retailer occupies the ground and first floors at Wharton Place, with national advertising agency Golley Slater‘s Cardiff base on the second floor.”