Hedge End: Gleeds moves into new regional office at Botleigh Grange

A global property and construction consultancy has moved into a new regional office for the south. Gleeds signed a 10-year lease on a 3,458 sq ft office on the first floor of two-storey Vanbrugh House at Grange Drive, Botleigh Grange office campus, Hedge End, near Southampton.

The independent company has 1,600 staff in 66 global offices, including 19 in the UK, delivering £130 billion worth of projects annually.

Gleeds has 22 staff based at a Vanbrugh House and is currently working on Bournemouth University’s new Fusion building and two new shopping centres with NewRiver Retail.

Hughes Ellard acted for property owner Northwood Regional UK. Quoting rent was £21 a sq ft.

Russell Mogridge, the business space director at Hughes Ellard, said: “Gleeds is a highly-regarded property and construction consultancy which requested top-grade office accommodation on this flourishing business campus.

“A previous occupier had moved out, due to expansion, and we were able to fulfil Gleeds’ requirements in a tight timeframe.

“The company had been on the business campus some years ago and was keen to return because of the location, which is close to the M27 corridor between Southampton and Portsmouth, and the high-quality office environment.”

Tony Deacon, a Gleeds director who works out of Vanbrugh House, said: “From our new regional office we are in a strong position to deliver continued growth both regionally and further afield, and we are grateful to Russell at Hughes Ellard for a smooth relocation.

“We currently have 22 staff at Vanbrugh House and we expect to grow this number by more than 15% over the coming 12 months."

Northwood Regional UK instructed Hughes Ellard to find an occupier for the only vacant office at Vanbrugh House, which is named after Sir John Vanbrugh, a famous 18th Century English architect who designed Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard.

The ground floor office is 6,235 sq ft, with bi-fold doors opening up on to wooden decking overlooking a lake. Quoting rent is £21 per sq ft, with 31 parking spaces at Vanbrugh House.

Gleeds was previously based in a leased office at Hutwood Court, Chandler's Ford.

Independent since 1885, the consultancy works in a range of sectors, including education, defence, healthcare, heritage and culture, hotels and hospitality, transport and infrastructure, science and pharmaceuticals and sports and recreation.

Other occupiers at Vanbrugh House are Vistage International UK, the executive advisory group, Cayman Registry and construction group Midas.