Hampshire: Hughes Ellard tops agents' league table

A commercial property consultancy has achieved a fifth year of success in the M27 office agents’ league table for Hampshire. Independent real estate agency Hughes Ellard, which covers the Solent region where there are 50,000 businesses, has now topped the number of disposal deals for four out of five years.

In the latest annual results, the 30-strong firm led with 39 deals involving a total of 202,019 sq ft.

Estates Gazette, the commercial property magazine, compiled the league table from disposals recorded from the 12 months to the end of August 2017.

After Hughes Ellard, which recorded an average deal size of 5,180 sq ft, the largest number of disposals was 31.

Last year Hughes Ellard was a close second, having previously led the league table for three consecutive years.

Gary Jeffries, Hughes Ellard’s managing director, (pictured) said: “The Solent region has a flourishing, diverse economy, from the services sector to industry and manufacturing.

“In turn, demand is created by expanding companies for new staff-focused office space, such as the 54,136 sq ft letting to Babcock International Group at Lakeside North Habour, Portsmouth, in a joint deal by Hughes Ellard and Vail Williams.

“Our dedicated team act collaboratively with clients, who value our individual and collective knowledge of the market.

“Hughes Ellard has been delivering market-leading consultancy for five decades now and topping the M27 office agents’ leagues table is once again, for the fourth time in five years, is testament to what the team does.”

Hughes Ellard’s total disposed space of 202,019 sq ft was nearly twice that of the second highest figure recorded.

According to Estates Gazette, total space disposed along the M27, covering Southampton and Portsmouth, was 483,486 sq ft, down by 7% on last year, and the average deal size was 3,453 sq ft, up by 4.2%.

Hughes Ellard, established 44 years ago, has offices at Ocean Village, Southampton, and Cams Hall business park, Fareham.

Professional services include development appraisal, search and acquisition, valuation, rent review and lease renewal, asset management, building consultancy, disposals and investment advice throughout the Solent region and the UK.