Highlights of the Birmingham and Solihull office market in 2014

2014 was clearly a year in which the market for office space in Birmingham and Solihull became reinvigorated, particularly in Solihull and the M42 corridor, which has proved to be the most active for nearly a decade.

Here’s a selection of our news stories, office space lettings and acquisitions which hit the headlines in 2014. Thank you for continuing to subscribe to our news service and we wish all of our readers a very happy and prosperous 2015.

KWB lets space at Friars Gate offices in Solihull

EUM home energy consultants relocated from Fort Dunlop to newly refurbished offices in the Shirley area of Solihull, which also saw the opening of a new on-site ‘drive-thru’ Costa Coffee store – more…

KWB acquires new HQ offices in Stratford for Midlands-based PLC

Acting on behalf of The Rigby Group PLC, KWB acquired 7,565 sq ft of new HQ offices in Stratford-upon-Avon, within one of the highest quality office developments in Warwickshire and the M40 corridor, close to Junction 15 –more…

Complete remodelling for Cheltenham House offices in Birmingham city centre

Following Circle Property’s strategic acquisition of Cheltenham House offices in Birmingham city centre, located in the central business district close to New Street Station, KWB was instructed to provide refurbishment and leasing advice. After a complete remodelling, updating and refurbishment, KWB was retained as letting agents to market the available office space – more…

Highlights of KWB’s latest research for offices in Birmingham, Edgbaston, Solihull and the M42 corridor

Now in its third year, KWB’s regular quarterly digest gave bite-size commentaries on the Birmingham and Solihull office market. Q1’s performance for offices in Birmingham signified a number of positive markers with the forthcoming large office lease breaks and expiries still to become evident. The healthy level of transactions for office space in Solihull and the M42 corridor were above the annual long term average, with some reasonable sized deals and a number of significant ‘under offer’ transactions to also complete shortly –more…

KWB lets 36,000 sq ft at FORE offices Solihull to UTC and eTech

KWB was successful in securing two lettings totalling 36,000 sq ft within FORE offices Solihull, the most high profile office development in the M42 corridor. UTC Aerospace Systems consolidated over 150 staff from three local offices, whilst eTech relocated their offices from Blythe Valley Park – more…

YAZAKI extends due to shortage of office space in Coventry

Acting on behalf of Japanese-owned automotive supplier to Jaguar Land Rover, YAZAKI Europe and their 12,000 sq ft office space requirement, KWB provided a combination of search and acquisition services, lease negotiation and project management of the office space design, space planning, procurement of furniture and fit-out, and complete move management – more…

KWB lets 17,000 sq ft of office space in Solihull to top 10 IT service co

KWB successfully let the ground floor of T3 Trinity Park, comprising 17,166 sq ft of high quality office space in Solihull, to Steria UK, one of the top 10 IT service companies in Europe – more…

‘24 carat’ deal signed as ‘Bond namesake’ offices in Shirley are sold

KWB secured the freehold sale of Goldfinger House, 6,880 sq ft of offices in Shirley, to the Chartered Institute for Payroll and Pensions Professionals (CIPP). A unique opportunity within the established Cranmore business district in Shirley, close to J4 of the M42, Goldfinger House was the only suitable office building available freehold and the only Grade II listed offices with an infamous architectural legacy – more…

Bowlplex takes space at 3800 Parkside offices at Birmingham Business Park

KWB let 3800 Parkside offices on Birmingham Business Park to the head office of Bowlplex, a national group of bowling centres and family entertainment venues – more…

KWB appointed to market offices at Birmingham Business Park

Following a competitive pitch, KWB was appointed on behalf of Canmoor to work jointly alongside GVA and JLL. KWB’s appointment followed Canmoor’s purchase from Goodman late last year of six phases of offices on Birmingham Business Park, which comprised in excess of 200,000 sq ft of existing office space in Solihull. The significance of the purchase was seen as affirmation of the notable increase in demand for offices in Solihull since the previous year, particularly in the service industry sector – more…

KWB tops the bill in Q2 for office space in Solihull: KWB’s latest research for offices in Birmingham, Solihull and the M42 corridor

KWB achieved a 64%, dominant, share of the square footage leased or purchased in Solihull’s office space transactions in Q2 2014. Continuing his popular commentary on the Birmingham and Solihull office market, Mark Robinson highlighted the hugely successful second quarter for Solihull; with two quarters still to go, Solihull had already achieved almost 90% of its average long-term annual take-up for office space.

Growth in Birmingham office space take-up by the education, recruitment and financial sectors showed increasing confidence in the city and its talent pool. Whilst predictions for investment in larger properties, within the city, appeared to be confirmed by the massive signing of 100,000 sq ft by HS2 at Two Snowhill at the very start of quarter 3 – more…

Five new occupiers acquire units at 50-54 St Pauls Square offices in Birmingham

Office space at one of KWB’s latest acquired properties, 50-54 St Paul’s Square, was snapped up, as rare chance to buy small freehold offices in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter proved to be a real gem! – more…

Clutch of deals for office space in Solihull

KWB continued to dominate the Solihull office market with a recent clutch of transactions for offices in Solihull:

• One Cranmore Drive: 8,006 sq ft let to to US-owned SOTI
• Cranmore Place: 3,766 sq ft let to training, recruitment and jobseeker support services provider, EOS Works, part of Staffline Group plc
• Marlborough House: 5,111 sq ft sold to HCB Solicitors & Chartered Accountants – more…

Offices in Solihull and M42 corridor – most active year for nearly a decade

KWB’s latest research for Solihull and the M42 corridor showed, by the end of the 3rd quarter, the out-of-town office market reaching almost 150% of its annual long term average, with Q4 results still to come!

Q3 was also a much healthier quarter for transactions for office space in Birmingham city centre – even with the HS2 deal at Two Snowhill being absent from the quarter’s results, but expected to appear in Q4! With an increase of 37% over the previous quarter, the resulting 156,000 sq ft was a promising sign of growth and recovery, post-recession – more…

KWB: HS2 is green light to property owners to refurbish and market office space in Birmingham

The announcement of HS2’s huge take-up of space at Two Snowhill offices in Birmingham really signalled the major redevelopments ahead as a result of high speed rail. KWB Partner, John Bryce, highlighted the further pressure that this was now placing on the lack of Grade ‘A’ office space available in Birmingham city centre and, more significantly, the opportunities it presented to property owners with existing, or upcoming, vacant space – more…

IMI deal makes it 110,000 sq ft of offices let on Birmingham Business Park in 2014!

KWB was seeing a great year for office lettings at Birmingham Business Park, acting on behalf of Canmoor Properties and as joint agents alongside JLL and GVA. With IMI’s relocation to 4060 Lakeside, 110,000 sq ft of office space let at Birmingham Business Park had now been let in 2014, representing over one third of the total transactions for office space in Solihull and the M42 out-of-town market.

New occupiers included eQ Technologic, Babcock, Longcross Construction and Chalcroft, and most recently, IMI raised its commitment to Birmingham Business Park by moving from 4040 Lakeside to the adjacent 36,000 sq ft 4060 Lakeside, the largest, highest specified office building currently available on the Park. IMI increased its occupancy by 8,000 sq ft in this deal, in order to accommodate the relocation of a subsidiary company. Elsewhere on the Park, Capita Business Services signed a new lease at its offices in Knights Court – more…

Six new lettings at Cheltenham House offices in Birmingham

And to round off the year, Circle Property’s high quality £1.2m refurbishment of Cheltenham House offices in Birmingham attracted six new tenants to this attractive period commercial property, situated in Temple Street, within line of sight of the new entrance to New Street Station – more…