Bupa, Jacobs shortlists emerge
The fields are narrowing down for significant office requirements in Manchester from US corporate Jacobs Engineering and private healthcare giant Bupa.
Bupa is understood to have shortlisted five sites for its 140,000 sq ft new-build office:
- First Street, Manchester, Ask Developments
- Media City UK phase two, Salford Quays, Peel Media
- Greengate, Salford, Ask Developments
- NOMA, Manchester, Co-operative Group
- Spinningfields, Manchester, Allied London
Bupa is currently based in the Anchorage and Harbour City, both in Salford Quays, where its leases are due to expire in 2015. Cushman & Wakefield was appointed in late 2011 to advise Bupa on the search.
Jacobs is seeking 90,000 sq ft in a secondary building, having ruled out new space. Jacobs is based in two sites in Sale and Cheadle and is believed to be closely looking at Hanover Buildings within the Co-operative Group's NOMA scheme, Ask's 1 First Street and Orbit Developments' Park Square in Cheadle, where it is already a tenant.
Hanover Buildings is set for refurbishment in the next year by the Co-op. Manchester City Council is set to vacate 1 First Street when it relocates back to the Town Hall Extension following its refurbishment. Vail Williams is advising Jacobs.
Meanwhile, HSB Engineering Insurance has retained Jones Lang LaSalle to find an office of between 20,000 sq ft and 30,000 sq ft in Manchester.
