Spanish Consulate takes space in The Chancery
Listed investment firm Topland Group has let 11,000 sq ft at the office building on Manchester’s Spring Gardens on a 25-year lease to the consulate, which will relocate from its temporary home on Deansgate.
Under the deal, the Spanish Consulate will take over the ground and first floors of the recently refurbished 50,000 sq ft building, which Topland bought for around £20m from fund manager Patrizia last August.
The letting follows a letting to insolvency practitioner Duff & Phelps, which has agreed a 10-year lease on the fourth floor at The Chancery in Manchester city centre.
The two lettings leave 6,800 sq ft available on the second floor of the building.
Knight Frank, which brokered the deal, is the joint letting agent for The Chancery with Savills. Knight Frank’s project and building consultancy team is also overseeing a tenant fit-out for Topland that will include a self-contained consular entrance off Brown Street and already has planning approval.
Matt Shufflebottom, associate at Knight Frank, said: “The ground and first floor accommodation provide a perfect solution for the consulate and we are pleased to secure them as an occupier at the building. A combination of perseverance, client engagement and ability to deliver a bespoke fit-out helped secure the deal.
“Our project and building team is working closely with the landlord and incoming tenant on the detail and execution of the fit-out and refurbishment, which is scheduled to complete very soon.
Steve Pope, group director of property and asset management at Topland, added: “We are pleased to announce both these exciting transactions that were agreed before the Covid-19 outbreak but delivered during the lockdown.
“The Kingdom of Spain’s decision to open the new consulate in The Chancery is a major achievement not only for our prime building, but the city of Manchester too.
“To have achieved these lettings within our 1st year of ownership is very pleasing and we look forward to securing another prestigious letting on the remaining second floor.”
Colliers International acted for Duff & Phelps.
