American-based UTC Aerospace Systems has signed a ten year lease on offices at Solihull’s prestigious FORE business park.
The 25,652sq ft letting for the entire FORE One building is thought to be the largest transaction for office space in the West Midlands town and the M42 corridor for two years. Solihull’s previous landmark deal was Virgin Media’s 2012 lease at Eagle 3, near Birmingham Airport.
UTC Aerospace Systems — formed by the merger two years ago of Goodrich Corporation and Hamilton Sundstrand — is a major supplier of defence and aerospace products to international space programmes.
The move consolidates more than 150 staff from three local offices and the company, which has its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, will use the building for its European corporate management team, finance services and research and technology activities.
Gareth Morris is vice-president and general manager for UTC Aerospace Systems’ Motor Drive Systems Centre. “We are really pleased to be moving to a building that will provide an excellent environment for our employees and our research activities,” he said. “This new facility will provide a showcase for customer visits and should support future growth.”
With the whole of FORE One — created, designed and built by property and construction company BAM — now occupied the company is expected to press ahead with the remaining two office buildings to complete the scheme near Junction 4 of the M42 at Solihull. The majority of FORE Two is already let.
“Detailed planning consent already exists for the development of a second phase where two further buildings, FORE Three and Four, will provide 110,000sq ft of office space and we already have pre-let enquiries for elements of this,” said Mark Robinson, a partner at joint agents KWB. “We look forward to making an announcement on these pre-lets later in the year.”
The Birmingham office of CBRE was the other joint agent. “UTC Aerospace Systems offer an insight into the ever-evolving requirements of our clients, adopting new working practices and recognising the need to provide best in class working environments for their employees,” said CBRE director Will Ventham.
“The Birmingham and Solihull conurbation provides a strategic location for business and UTC Aerospace Systems had the foresight to secure premises that meet their business needs amidst changing market conditions,” he added.
Since its formation 25 years ago BAM has completed more than 2.5m sq ft of corporate and retail space. Among its current projects is a £50m joint venture with the Scottish government to transform an empty building in Glasgow’s city centre into high quality retail and office space.
The scheme, which is receiving a £9.6m loan from the Scottish Partnership for Regeneration in Urban Centres, will transform a former bank at 110 Queen Street into 143,000sq ft of Grade A offices and 22,000sq ft of retail space. Expected to provide accommodation for 1,500 workers the project is due to be completed by next spring.
In Edinburgh BAM recently finished work on the conversion of a three-floor Georgian building on Princes Street into 15,492sq ft of retail space.
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