Cubex Land has sealed its first deal at Aurora, Bristol’s greenest office building, which is currently under construction at Finzels Reach.
Intellectual property specialist Mewburn Ellis LLP has signed a deal for the first floor of the building, which is being developed speculatively and is set to be completed next summer.
Mewburn Ellis has taken a 15-year lease on 13,326 sq ft and has decided on the move from its current base at Queen Square to enable its future expansion.
The firm, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, is one of the largest IP firms in Europe, offering a full range of IP services covering patents, trade marks and designs. It was attracted to Aurora because of the building’s prime location in the heart of the city, its outstanding sustainability credentials, high quality design focusing on staff well-being and low running costs.
Shaun Harvey, chief financial and operating officer at Mewburn Ellis, said: “We’re delighted to be moving to Aurora. 2017 has been another year of growth for Mewburn Ellis across the UK and Europe and our work in Bristol is a hugely important part of that. We have ambitious plans and this superb new office will be the ideal platform for future growth.”
Aurora scooped a rare BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ accreditation earlier this year – a nationally-recognised sustainability benchmark – the only building outside London and one of only six in the UK to achieve the award under the new, toughest rating scheme.
The 95,000 sq ft building is part of Finzels Reach, the new quarter being created in the heart of Bristol by local developer Cubex and funded by Palmer Capital. Work is moving apace at Aurora, with construction on the concrete frame now reaching the fourth floor and the central atrium beginning to take shape.
Sustainability has played a key role in the design of Aurora from the outset, with running costs typically less than half of those needed for other Grade A office space.
Peter Walford, director at Cubex, said: “It is fantastic news that Mewburn Ellis has decided to move to Aurora. This deal confirms our belief that there is demand in Bristol for a building of this quality and with the highest sustainability credentials that combine to produce an outstanding place to work, with substantially lower running costs.
“We are proud that Aurora is setting a new benchmark for sustainable office development in the city and we are in detailed discussions with other potential occupiers for other floors of the building and anticipate making more announcements soon.”
Aurora will consist of six storeys, with a typical floorplate measuring 15,500 sq ft. Its striking façade and double height reception area will lead through to a central glass atrium which will extend to the full height of the building.
Key ‘green’ features including rooftop mounted solar panels, intelligent LED lighting, water saving technology and an emphasis on creating a healthy working environment, with fresh air and plenty of natural light from the floor to ceiling glazing. There will be bicycle storage facilities, lockers and showers on site, whilst occupiers on the sixth floor will benefit from a roof terrace garden with views across the city.
Ian Wills, director at JLL in Bristol, adds: “News of the first letting at Aurora nine months before the end of construction shows that the developers Cubex were right to make the bold decision to build office space speculatively, bring a London quality build to Bristol and set a new standard in the city in terms of sustainability credentials. There is significant demand for high quality office space in prime Bristol locations but little supply, indeed there is only 3,000 sq ft immediately available new-build office space in the city centre. That is space for just 30 or 40 staff. Yet, still no-one else is putting a spade in the ground, and with projects of this scale taking years to come into fruition, there is a risk that a lack of employment space will hinder business growth in the city. At the moment, the gap is in part being filled by refurbishments, but this will only stem the demand for so long. We need a renewed focus on creating the business space needed in Bristol as this is a vital part of the mix when it comes to creating jobs for the city.”
Knight Frank and Savills acted for Cubex Land and Alder King acted for Mewburn Ellis.
