WS Atkins and Cable & Wireless (C&W) are poised to sign up for prelets at the 109.7ha (271 acre) Thorpe Park site near Leeds.
Both companies are in discussions with the developer Thorpe Park (Leeds), which is controlled and funded by Severn Trent Property. WS Atkins is taking 3,716 sq m (40,000 sq ft) on the scheme for a flagship office building, while C&W is taking a smaller scheme of up to 2,323 sq m (25,000 sq ft).
The developer refused to comment on the speculation, but James Poskitt of DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, joint letting agent with Knight Frank, said: “We’re in detailed negotiations with a number of major international and UK corporates for space.”
The deals with Atkins and C&W are understood to have been agreed on the basis of rents of about £178 per sq m (£16.50 per sq ft). Other occupiers on the park include National Grid, Regus and Time Retail Finance. A 123-bedroom Shire Inn hotel is also planned.
Thorpe Park is situated six miles east of Leeds and is one of the largest sites of its kind in the UK. The £350m scheme will provide up to 170,000 sq m (1.8m sq ft) of offices, to be developed in phases over the next 10 years.
Knight Frank and DTZ Debenham Tie Leung are letting agents.
EGi News 17/10/00
