Two Midlands development sites are going head-to-head for the UK’s largest hi-tech office requirement.
Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson is focusing on four sites for a new 300,000 sq ft national office and research complex, with Advantage West Midlands’ 100-acre Ansty site near Coventry and Loughborough University’s 420-acre campus topping its list.
Ericsson, which appointed Cushman & Wakefield to handle its requirement six months ago, is understood to favour AWM’s Ansty site because of its transport links and proximity to several local universities it is close to junction 2 of the M6, Birmingham and Coventry airports as well as to Aston, Birmingham, Warwick and Coventry universities.
Ansty was originally being lined up as home to Indian motor group Tatra, which was expected to take 50 acres at the site, but sources said that deal was now unlikely to go ahead.
The other two locations being considered for the requirement are both expected to be dropped as neither would be able to accommodate all 300,000 sq ft of space on the same site.
A preferred location will be chosen before the year-end.
Cushman & Wakefield declined to comment.
References: EGi News 03/11/06
