BNP Paribas Real Estate, the leading property adviser, has relocated into new offices at Portwall Place, located close to Temple Meads Station.
The team, which comprises more than 30 experts across business lines such as valuation, agency, consulting, building and lease advisory, moved into its new 4,000 sq ft office space in March 2014, after signing a five year lease.
The deal was brokered by the Bristol office of DTZ on behalf of Smith & Williamson who have a lease on the top floor of the building, totalling 32,000 sq ft.
BNP Paribas Real Estate’s head of Bristol and national head of debt advisory, Patrick Pryce, comments: “Our move provides the well-established team in Bristol with an opportunity to be based into a well located, more efficient working environment. Looking ahead, we plan to continue with our recruitment drive, moving further forward with our growth plan.”
Andy Heath, Director, Office agency at DTZ in Bristol comments: “Portwall Place is one of the city’s most prominent buildings, offering an unrivalled location as well as views across the city. As the city’s office activity moves eastwards towards the Enterprise Zone, Portwall Place becomes even more a destination of choice”.
David Smart, Operations Director at Smith & Williamson, the accountancy and investment management group, comments: “We have around 200 people in the Portwall Place office which makes it our biggest office outside London. We have clients all over the South West and beyond, so a quality office with good access for both corporates and private individuals – which this location affords – is important to us. We are delighted to welcome BNP Paribas Real Estate to this prestigious office”.
In December 2013, DTZ representing BlackRock, acquired Portwall Place for £51.5m, the largest Grade A office transaction to have been completed in the regional market last year. DTZ are retained to advise the new landlord going forward.
In the last 18 months, BNP Paribas Real Estate has brought in more than 50 senior people, helping the company to accelerate as a major player in the UK, in keeping with its European leadership position.
Recent recruits to the Bristol team include Richard Clark as head of Bristol valuation from Jones Lang LaSalle, Bob Medland as director within the Bristol consulting team from Network Rail and Andrew Shoubridge as a senior surveyor.
