Serviced offices scheme for former Somerset airfield
A former airfield in North Somerset is set to become the site for a new serviced offices scheme.
North Somerset Council has approved plans for a new office scheme to be built on the old Weston Airfield site that is now branded as the Weston Gateway business park. The proposed three storey building will offer 20,000 sq ft of floor space, with a first phase offering approximately 12,000 sq ft by spring 2012.
Within the whole mixed-use redevelopment area, a total of five office blocks have been proposed. Weston Gateway will offer Grade A office floor plates from 3,000 sq ft to 390,000 sq ft. Offices will be available either to purchase outright or as leased space. The business park affords easy access to the motorway network and is adjacent to the M5 at J21.
The particular scheme, to be called The Hive, is backed by the North Somerset Enterprise Agency (NSEA)Â and aims to provide flexible office space on short-term leases. Â With a target of between 40-60 tenants the NSEA aims to lease floor space to start-up and growing businesses and create an enterprise hub backed with on-site support services. The Hive will offer on-site business training, shared office services and access to shared office equipment. The NSEA itself intends to take floor space within the building.
The offices will be built to comply with best-practice, energy efficient design. Natural lighting and ventilation will be relied upon and the building will not have air conditioning. Energy resources amounting to approximately 15% of the total consumption will be supplied from on-site sources. It is expected that the offices will achieve an ‘A’ rating Energy Performance Certificate on completion. A BREEAM pre-assessment indicated that the building is expected to achieve a ‘Very Good’ rating. Architects behind the scheme are Barton Willmore.
Commercial property agents Hartnell Taylor Cook started a marketing campaign for the scheme prior to planning permission being granted. They reported to the council that they have eleven potential office occupiers requiring between 2,000 to 30,000 sq ft of floor space with timescales for occupancy ranging from six to eighteen months.
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