Commercial Estates Group (CEG) is set to start demolition work to pave the way for a new £100million development in Bristol.
The new building, called Aspire, at 200,000 sq ft will be the largest single office development ever delivered in Bristol. The site, sits close to Temple Quay and Temple Meads Railway Station and adjacent to Bristol City Council’s headquarters at 100 Temple Street.
Demolition work will begin this month and construction work is set to commence in early 2016. The new flagship development, set around a stunning atrium, will provide space to accommodate 2,500 new jobs and floor plates of around 28,000 sq ft.
Nick Lee from CEG said: “Available high quality office space in Bristol is at an all-time low and this development will ensure that we can deliver a Grade A development in the heart of the city to meet the pent up demand.”
Architect, Aukett Swanke, has designed Aspire to be future proofed – not just by minimising its carbon footprint, but by creating highly flexible floorplans ensuring maximum space efficiency and environmental systems that will enable the building to be readily reconfigured to meet changing business and technology needs.
The joint agents for the scheme, CBRE and Williams Gunter Hardwick, believe that the scale and quality of the building, as well as its highly strategic location close to Temple Meads, not only gives growing businesses in the city scope to expand, but also opens up significant opportunities for Bristol to attract inward investment.
“We know that London is overheating,” says Phil Morton, Senior Director at CBRE’s Bristol office. “Occupation costs have rocketed, skilled staff are finding it too expensive to live there and organisations are reviewing occupation costs. The electrification of the London to Bristol railway line in 2017 will put us just 80 minutes from the heart of London – making Aspire an ideal alternative for those businesses headquartered in London or international companies needing easy access to Heathrow.”
“The research we have been carrying out indicates that a significant number of London- based and international businesses are now looking hard at their accommodation options,” adds Andrew Hardwick, director of Williams Gunter Hardwick. “We have the skilled workforce they need as well as a quality of life that will help them attract and retain employees.
“Highly skilled staff expect a great workplace and Aspire is going to provide just that. Commercial Estates Group is not a traditional trader developer and is much more interested in delivering long term value and this is reflected in the high quality of the building. That is good news for the occupiers. ”
