Case Studies

Lydney Harbour Estate

ASH & Co were invited to competitively  tender for the management of Lydney Harbour Estate, following the retirement of their in-house estate manager in 2002.

The estate extends to some 60 acres, is home to over forty businesses and provides approximately half a million square feet of industrial accommodation.

In addition to collecting rents and service charges from the tenants ASH & Co manage the site on a day to day basis, including the supervision of repairs and maintenance, with the help of a full time site manager.

We act as letting agents using our local knowledge to advise on prevailing  rents and co-ordinate marketing and other promotional activities including a recent open day. This has led to a significant increase in occupancy levels.

During the last five years we have overseen a number of improvements to the estate including the refurbishment of several units, upgrading the CCTV system, installation of a new electric security gate and the launch of a new logo.

ASH & Co have also pro-actively introduced a new programme of maintenance for the electrical infrastructure of the estate involving considerable investment by Beachley Property in new transformers and switchgear, and have also been able to reduce leakage from the estate's water mains.

More recently we successfully argued at Valuation Tribunal the removal from the rating list of a large factory , helping to reduce our clients empty rates liability.

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New lease of life for city 'eyesore

Work should be completed this month on one of Gloucester's biggest city centre office developments, replacing what was once a major eyesore. The former Courts furniture store in Bruton Way, Gloucester, which lay empty and deteriorating for several years, has been given a new lease of life. The building has been transformed into modern office accommodation and is now partially occupied by Gloucester City Homes, which has leased more than 10,000 sq ft of offices on the ground floor.

Work is progressing on the remaining 20,000 sq ft, with completion anticipated in January, to provide further offices to accommodate traditional lettings for small to large occupiers alongside a serviced office operation with a staffed reception.

Now renamed Railway House with the city station just a short distance away, the architects were Roberts Limbrick, who previously transformed the neighbouring Gloucester Carriage and Wagon Works building unveiled last year. It is now the prestige headquarters of Roberts Limbrick and has won praise for the company's joint managing directors Stephen Limbrick and Jeff Roberts.

Railway House was purchased in 2010 by private investment company Formal Investments Limited, based in Festival House, Cheltenham.

Clare Savage, of Formal Investments, commented: "We wanted to raise the game and bring a high standard of flexible, modern office accommodation to Gloucester city. Many occupiers want to stay in the city, but can't find the flexibility or standard they need and, despite the tough market, we are confident of our product."

Nick Bevan Consulting Limited are agents for Formal Investments Limited and Gloucester City Homes was represented by ASH and Co Chartered Surveyors, based in Gloucester.

10th January 2012