Strathclyde Business Park - offering flexibility as standard

With the cost of office floor space increasing under traditional leasing arrangements, coupled with greater need from corporates for flexibility for growth or otherwise, consideration of different leasing opportunities is very much a focus. Traditionally, serviced offices have been associated with fledgling companies operating two or three workstations in reasonably unsophisticated office space. Strathclyde Business Park (SBP) has been leading the way in dispelling this myth.

For nearly ten years, SBP has been providing a range of office accommodation that is unequalled under one landlord. The Park offers the best specification in the office market, alongside a comprehensive range of business and support services. Leases are available to tenants and potential occupiers on terms from 3 months to 15 years, with service levels tailored to meet individual business requirements, alongside bespoke design and build solutions.

William Hill, founder of Strathclyde Business Park, explains that this level of flexibility has been key to the Park’s success.

“In 1997, we recognised a gap in the office market for high quality, flexible office accommodation and opened Phoenix House, our first managed office building,” he said. “This proved to be so successful that we had to establish a waiting list. Since then, we have grown our managed and serviced office accommodation to include a further 103,000 sq ft in Willow House and Avondale House, which this autumn will be supplemented by a further 73,000 sq ft in Duart House.

“We firmly believe that the flexibility we provide our tenants has had an impact on the success of their businesses. Many of the companies within SBP’s managed office buildings and have grown substantially within the Park. Our challenge and triumph as a landlord has been to successfully manage this growth and participate in their successes.”

PPD Inc moved into 3,000 sq ft in managed office Willow House in 2003. Having grown several times into larger accommodation within the serviced offices at the Park, work is due for completion shortly on its purpose-built, stand alone 34,000 sq ft office building, to which it has fixed upon a fifteen year lease with no breaks.

Stephen Kelly, director of AWG Property, reflected: “The experience of companies like PPD illustrates the long term benefits that providing occupiers with genuine flexibility can bring. PPD have been able to expand significantly in various stages within the Park, and we continue to work closely together, establishing PPD’s long term future at SBP. “

Companies such as Huntswood have used the Park’s serviced office space to establish a foothold in the Scottish market and have also subsequently matured. The flexible office space available has been key to their continued growth and presence on the Park.

The cost savings through minimal capital investment, reduced staff/ communication costs and increased flexibility with serviced and managed office space has proved to be very attractive for a large variety of businesses.

Scottish Power currently occupy 34,000 sq.ft of serviced office building Avondale House. Landlord and tenant responsibilities have been uniquely tailored to provide a balance of responsibility, allowing Scottish Power the ability to quickly adapt to changes in the business environment.

Colin McKenzie, Partner at GVA Grimley, comments: “As occupational costs and the need for a more flexible approach move up the agenda, the consideration of serviced offices comes into its own. The flexibility on offer in terms of lease length, level of services, support staff and communications are all considerations. Strathclyde Business Park perfectly illustrates how a genuinely flexible approach to serviced office accommodation creates an integral option in the range of accommodation solutions that modern business demands.”

Notes to Editors:

Strathclyde Business Park is a joint venture between HF Developments and AWG Property Limited. Well established as one of Scotland's most successful business locations, it is situated in 155 acres of mature parkland near Bellshill, Lanarkshire. The Park provides over 1.4 million sq ft / 130,060 sq m of business and lifestyle space to some of Scotland’s top companies, including Scottish Power, NTL, Woolwich Plc, Camelot, William Grants Distillers and Laing O’Rourke. Over 5,500 people are currently employed at the Park.

The site Masterplan provides for a further 500,000 sq ft / 46,450 sq m of accommodation, which will bring an anticipated 4,000 extra jobs to the Park.

Located in the heart of the Central Belt, the Park is minutes from the M8, M74 and M80, providing excellent access across Scotland and further afield.

For more information on the Park, and its location, accommodation, facilities and amenities, please visit our new website: www.strathclydebusinesspark.com