ECF lines up next New Bailey office
English Cities Fund is pushing ahead with the development of the next office at New Bailey in Salford, set to be let to telecommunications giant BT, although the deal remains unsigned.
Last September, Place North West revealed BT had chosen New Bailey for a 200,000 sq ft requirement, consolidating several other smaller offices.
At the time, market sources suggested a deal at New Bailey was imminent.
However, the deal is still yet to be signed, although ECF is now making movements to start on the construction of the building, and the BT agreement is understood to still be in the pipeline.
Contractor Bowmer & Kirkland, the contractor for other buildings across the New Bailey site, has submitted a construction method statement to Salford City Council. Work has already begun on clearing the site and relocating the marketing suite to a new spot near to the multi-storey car park.
One New Bailey was the first office to be delivered and is near fully let. Two other offices at New Bailey are under construction: Two New Bailey, which includes 188,000 sq ft, 50,000 sq ft of which is pre-let to law firm Eversheds; and Three New Bailey, a 157,000 sq ft building pre-let to HMRC. Bowmer + Kirkland is on site at both schemes.
Four New Bailey, the office being built on Plot 7, benefits from outline planning permission granted in 2006 when the application was put in for the wider New Bailey scheme, and a reserved matters application still needs to be made.
ECF has submitted a development proposal notice to Salford City Council, which was approved earlier this week. At the same meeting, Salford City Council agreed the long lease disposal of the plot, which it owns, to ECF.
The 12-storey office is being designed by Make Architects, which is also the architect for Three New Bailey.
ECF is a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General and Homes England. Muse was contacted for comment. JLL advises BT.