The UK Hydrographic Office has ruled out re-launching a 160,000 sq ft requirement for a new headquarters after abandoning plans to redevelop its existing site.
The Ministry of Defence’s maritime mapping unit said that falling land values had forced it to “indefinitely postpone” the redevelopment of its 32-acre base in Taunton, Somerset.
The government agency had planned to move its warehousing and print operations from the Admiralty Way site, freeing up around 20 acres to sell for commercial redevelopment in order to fund a new HQ on the remainder of the land.
However, under-secretary of state for defence Kevan Jones MP said that following an independent review the rebuild was “no longer financially sustainable”.
Despite this, the UKHO said it would not revive plans to move to the nearby 500,000 sq ft Firepool development in Taunton.
It had been lined up as an anchor tenant for the public sector-backed scheme, set to be developed by St Modwen, but announced last February it would instead redevelop Admiralty Way.
Knight Frank advises the UKHO.
