The British Council is poised to quit its purpose-built headquarters in City Road, Manchester, in favour of cheaper space at Bridgewater House, in nearby Whitworth Street.
Its move depends on British Telecom taking an assignment of the council’s existing premises – a 10,680 sq m (115,000 sq ft) block at British Gas Properties’ Grand Island site. The passing rent is about £150 per sq m (£14 per sq ft), and the deal is expected to complete today or tomorrow. If it goes through, it will satisfy half BT’s Workstyle 2000 requirement for Manchester, with the remaining 9,290 sq m (100,000 sq ft) or so likely to be built on an adjacent site, also owned by BGP.
The British Council is thought to be taking only 5,574 sq m (60,000 sq ft) in Bridgewater House, owned by receivers to Arab Bank DTZ Debenham Thorpe. The move will slice the council’s current occupation in half, although a spokesperson confirmed that it will not be axing any staff.
Jones Lang Wootton is acting for the British Council; de Havilland is the letting agent on Bridgewater House; BT is being advised by DTZ and Dunlop Heywood and BGP is being repesented by Grimley.
EGi News 27/03/97
