Morrisons signs at Element

The supermarket group has committed to more than 16,000 sq ft at Bridge Properties’ Birchwood office development, and is joined by engineering group VolkerFitzpatrick, which has taken 2,400 sq ft.

WM Morrison Supermarkets has taken the entire second floor and mezzanine of the 39,000 sq ft building, extending to 16,300 sq ft, for five years.

VolkerFitzpatrick has also signed for five years, occupying 2,400 sq ft on part of the first floor.

The incoming tenants join Soletanche Freyssinet, RPS/TetraTech and Glen Dimplex. The deals leave one remaining suite, which can be split, of 4,250 sq ft.

RPS relocated from Dalton Avenue on Birchwood Park in 2024 to 6,500 sq ft, while Glen Dimplex moved from Runcorn in the same year, to 6,800 sq ft. Bridge bought the building, formerly known as Dominion House, in 2021.

Element now benefits from a large business lounge and café with outdoor terrace as well as an on-site gym. Externally, there is cycle storage, parking spaces, EV charging points and landscaped grounds.

Element is prominently located in Birchwood, with links to the M62 and M6, with Birchwood railway station a few minutes away.

Daniel Barnes, director in the Manchester office agency team at Savills, said: “This is an excellent result for our clients and is testament to the quality of office space available at Element. It continues to attract top occupiers like Morrisons, and shows the strengths of the office market in the North West.”

Paul McCann, director of Bridge Properties, said: “We are delighted that Morrisons and VolkerFitzpatrick have chosen Element for their workspace. Their decisions reflect the quality of our environment and the value we place on creating spaces where businesses can thrive.”

Colliers represented Morrisons. Joint agents Savills and OBI acted on behalf of Bridge Properties.

Simon Roddam, who heads up OBI’s out-of-town office in Warrington, added “These lettings reflect a broader tranche of deals currently under offer across the Warrington office market.

“As a result, the forthcoming quarter is shaping up to deliver a materially stronger level of office take up, underpinned by demand for well-located, high-quality accommodation like Element in Birchwood”.