Osborne and Co is set to deliver Santander’s new contact centre and operations hub in Bootle after being chosen as the bank’s development partner for the £75m project.
The proposed state-of-the-art campus, which will replace the bank’s existing offices in an area where it has been a leading employer for nearly 50 years, will house over 2,500 employees and become a focal point for the local community.
Last month, Osborne and Co was chosen as Santander’s development partner for its new £150m UK technology headquarters in Milton Keynes. Osborne and Co is the new global delivery vehicle for major property projects in The Middle East, Asia and Africa, India and Europe by the Osborne family and their global partners.
Osborne and Co’s approach to design and construction puts occupier needs at the heart of the development to deliver world-class modern workspace. The office space in Bootle will be designed with an emphasis on encouraging collaboration amongst staff and promoting wellbeing.
An occupier-focused, build-to-suit developer with a world-wide portfolio of £2.5bn, Osborne and its partners have recorded several major milestones in recent months. In August, GRDI successfully completed and sold HSBC’s new 320,000 sq. ft headquarters in Dubai. GRDI is jointly owned by Osborne and National Investment Group of Abu Dhabi. Earlier in the year Osborne and Co along with their partner RMB Westport completed the delivery of Standard Chartered Bank’s new 400,000 sq ft West African headquarters in Accra, Ghana.
Conor Osborne, director, Osborne and Co, said: “We are looking forward to working with Santander to build a state-of-the-art campus and community asset the local area will be proud of. We will construct an office tailored exactly to the wants and needs of Santander – and its employees – setting a benchmark for large-scale developments in the UK.
“Today marks another milestone for Osborne and Co, as we move forward with Santander to deliver landmark developments in both Milton Keynes and now Bootle. There is increasing appetite for our build-to-suit product around the world, cementing our position as the real estate partner of choice to global corporations, cities and landowners.”
Following the expected submission of a planning application to the council early in 2019, Osborne is aiming to start construction of Santander’s new North West headquarters next year with delivery anticipated in 2021.
The current site will celebrate its 50th anniversary this October – and the plans aim to create a building that can become a focal point for the local area with retail opportunities and supporting amenities.
Chair of Santander, Shriti Vadera, said: “I’m delighted that we are celebrating 50 years in Bootle with this long-term commitment to our people and the area. Bootle has been a significant part of Santander’s story and we see it as a crucial part of its future.”
Under its new, unified brand, Osborne and Co is targeting a global development pipeline with a gross development value (GDV) of £5bn over the next three years. It is embarking on an ambitious global growth drive, targeting new developments in Europe, the Middle East, India and South East Asia.
Within the UK, Osborne and Co is forging ahead with The Waterside, Belfast – a 1.7m sq. ft placemaking development, which will deliver a world-class waterfront locale for the city – after planning consent was granted for Phase 1, a £50m office building. In Glasgow, plans have been submitted for a landmark 285,000 sq. office on Argyle Street.