The Birmingham office leasing market has got off to a strong start in 2014, with the news that the UK’s largest non-profit care provider Housing 21 has taken a 15 year lease on 25,000 sq ft of office space over two floors at Commercial Estates Group’s (‘CEG’) Tricorn House development.
Housing 21’s decision to move to Tricorn House is the culmination of a two year search and around 250 staff will relocate from Vicarage Road in Edgbaston, once fit-out of the new offices has been completed in April 2014. The company specialises in providing housing and care solutions for older people, managing 18,000 sheltered housing flats, extra care apartments and specialist accommodation in the UK, employing more than 6,500 members of staff. Turnover is in excess of £200m.
Bruce Moore, Chief Executive of Housing 21 said:
“Finding a location which worked for our existing staff was key in
this search. Tricorn House is an ideal choice as it offers our team
good access to public transport, leisure and retail facilities. This is
an exciting time for Housing 21 and this new office will serve as the
ideal base from which to achieve our plans.”
Speaking about the move, Simon Harper at Jaggard Baker who advised Housing 21 on their acquisition said:
“Housing 21 conducted a comprehensive search of the available options throughout the Birmingham office market over an extended period and chose Tricorn House due to the buildings location, refurbished specification and large floor plates.”
Ben Thacker of GBR Phoenix Beard acted on behalf of the landlord:
“CEG has demonstrated its commitment to Tricorn House over a sustained period and is reaping the rewards of the significant investment made in upgrading the landmark building. This is some of the best value grade A quality office space in Birmingham. We welcome the sector diversity this letting brings to the building and Housing 21’s decision is reflective of a trend of increasing demand from occupiers for buildings which can offer well specified, larger floor plates at competitive levels of rent.”
Other Tricorn House occupiers include Certegy, Codemasters, the Money Advisory Service and Mechel. The building totals 155,000 sq ft.