Ombudsman Services has leased the 55,008 sq ft 3300 Daresbury Park office building in Cheshire in what represents one of the largest transactions in the North West this year. CBRE acted for Ombudsman Services in completing an Assignment of the 12-year lease from assignor Aegon, who was represented by DTZ and JLL. The landlord, J Clarke Property Investments, was represented by Mason Owen.
Daresbury Park is an established, successful commercial location set in the Cheshire countryside to the south of Warrington and close to Junction 11 of the M56 Motorway. Existing occupiers within Daresbury Park include ABB, Babcock International, Appsense, Hewlett Packard and the 180 bedroom, 4 star Daresbury Park Hotel.
Leading firm within the consumer ombudsman sector, Ombudsman Services, is relocating from the nearby Wilderspool Business Park and will move into 28,300 sq ft of accommodation within the 55,008 sq ft Grade A office building. CBRE’s North West Property Management team has been appointed to manage the building.
Chief Ombudsman, Lewis Shand Smith, commented: “It’s been a successful few years for Ombudsman Services and as a result we’re delighted to be able to grow the business so substantially. Our expansion into premises at Daresbury Park is the latest step in our journey and we are pleased to have secured modern accommodation that meets our growing needs in Warrington. While we operate across the UK, we’re very proud of our heritage and roots in Warrington, having been here since our creation in 2002, so it is very important for us and all of our staff to remain in the area.
“Last year we helped a growing number of consumers resolve their complaints, so increasing our workforce means that we can help many more, whilst also directly supporting the local economy.”
Matt Gillett, Programme Director leading Ombudsman Services Strategic Growth Programme, said; “3300 Daresbury Park represents a fantastic opportunity for Ombudsman Services to continue its growth in a new location and building, Daresbury Park is well presented and strategically located and meets the company’s requirements for its corporate headquarters. It was and continues to be a pleasure to work with CBRE on this important step for Ombudsman Services.”
Mark Worthington, Director of Office Agency at CBRE Liverpool, said; “After a short but intensive search of both existing and Design & Build opportunities within the Warrington area, Building 3300 at Daresbury Park was the stand-out option for a number of reasons. Despite being 12 years old, it is a high quality, contemporary building within one of the best business parks in the region, plus we were able to secure a very competitive deal from Aegon and the head landlord.”
Chris Lloyd, Director of Office Agency at DTZ, continued; “This transaction is likely to be considered a turning point in the fortunes of the out of town market. This letting and the diminishing levels of quality office stock in Warrington and Birchwood will hopefully give the market a further dose of confidence.”