Barrington Road Industrial Estate
Location: Barrington Road Industrial Estate, Bedlington, Northumberland
Project Manager: Ben Hunter, BSc. Hons, MRICS
Scope: Contract Administration
Client: Cranbourne Estates
Contract administration for an industrial facility in Northumberland and part of a small industrial estate
The property was constructed in 2003, and the original design allowed for the building to be divided into six small units of around 3000 square feet each. Before the completion of the original construction works, the first company that had agreed to take a lease on the property changed their requirements. They now wanted to occupy the whole building with no subdividing walls erected. This suited their proposed use of the property.
Our client, Cranbourne Estates, acquired the property with this tenant already in occupation. Their lease came to an end and the tenant decided not to renew the lease and moved out.
Lease end negotiations to achieve a fair settlement
Once the tenant decided to move out, our client commissioned us to review the lease and all associated documents. They needed to clarify what obligations the tenant had at the end of the lease to reinstate any changes that they’d made to the building. They also needed to know what repairs were required to comply with their obligations in the lease.
We reached a six-figure settlement for our client, rather than the tenant undertaking their outstanding legal obligations. Our client has used this money to undertake the repairs required to bring the property into a good state of repair and condition.
A new vision for six modern industrial units
The client also commissioned to act as contract administrators and design the work needed to subdivide the property into six smaller units for prospective. This was what the original architect had intended in 2003. This included structural calculations for appropriate fire-rated walls, subdivision of essential services and installation of ‘welfare facilities’ in each of the units. This includes washing, toilet, rest and changing facilities, and somewhere clean to eat and drink during breaks.
Once we had completed the specification for these works, we put this out to tender to contractors to obtain a competitive price.
We also produced quality drawings and artists’ impressions
The client used these for marketing purposes whilst the tendering process was underway. The client found tenants easily for all of the units soon after the works were completed.
This project demonstrates how we secure appropriate settlements from outgoing tenants. We help clients reinvest those funds to reposition properties successfully within the letting market.