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York-based developer William Birch & Sons is bucking the credit crunch by starting work on the first phase of its five-acre site at Bradley Business Park, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

The piling has gone in for £6.5 million of construction work to create the 47,000 sq ft office for NHS Kirklees, who have signed up to a 10-year lease, and the 14-month build is due for completion on 30 January 2010, with NHS Kirklees moving in a month later.

 

The architect, GHM Rock Townsend of Leeds, has maximised the site’s sloping aspect to create contemporary office space spread over four floors, with the reception area linked by a bridge to a first floor car park.  The ‘H-shaped’ building sits in two acres and has been designed to accommodate modern working practices, including hot desking, and the latest environmental control systems.

 

As with other recent development projects, William Birch & Sons have registered this scheme under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) to achieve a ‘very good’ rating.  This will provide an energy-efficient design with careful selection of sustainable materials and environmentally friendly mechanical and electrical installations.    

 

Finance director for William Birch & Sons, David Holden said: “We have been doing this kind of development for some time but on a smaller scale, and over the years have invested money in Wakefield, Northallerton and York.  By retaining some properties we have built up a good portfolio, which puts us in a strong position to survive the tough times. 

 

“Our commitment to Bradley Park represents an overall investment of £15million and we are delighted to have secured such a prestigious anchor tenant and got the first phase underway.”

 

William Birch & Sons purchased the land at Bradley Business Park from Kirklees Council in January 2008, and has planning consent for a number of smaller business units, ranging from 1,250 sq ft to 10,000 sq ft, on the remaining three acres.

Founded in 1874 and still family owned, William Birch & Son employs 110 people and had a £24 million turnover last year.