PHOENIX Business Park is the most dramatic example of employment
potential rising from the ashes of the old car manufacturing site.
The 55-acre development already has three 10,000 sq.ft open-plan,
two-storey pavilions waiting to accommodate the park's first tenants.
The pavilions have been constructed to offer plenty of flexibility for
the users and each has a spacious ground-floor reception area, male and
female toilets on both levels, triple-glazed opening windows and sound
insulation, full perimeter gas-fired central heating with individually
controlled radiators, three-phase power supply of 120 KVA, full access
raised floor to 150mm depth, and suspended ceiling with low-brightness
VDU-compatible fluorescent lighting. Specification can be altered to
suit particular needs.
The park is being marketed jointly by Jones Lang Wootton and Debenham
Tewson & Chinnocks. Bill Colville of Debenham Tewson says its location,
near the St James Interchange at Junction 29 of the M8, gives it a huge
strategic advantage.
''Junction 29 is undergoing a #30m improvement programme which will
enhance the accessibility and the location of the Phoenix scheme even
further,'' he says. ''The city centre is only 15 minutes away and
Glasgow Airport terminal is within three minutes.
''Paisley town centre is within five minutes' drive. If anyone is
seeking a site that offers good facilities for their staff and excellent
communications, then Phoenix is the place.''
Development has been swift since planning permission was granted in
1991 for the 185,000 sq.ft for phase 1 of Class 4 business space units.
That 185,000 sq.ft consent consisted of six 10,000 sq.ft units, three
15,000 sq.ft units, and four 20,000 sq.ft units. The total anticipated
floor space in the project (including future phases) is a potential one
million sq.ft.
''Tilbury Phoenix's strategy has been to develop out on a speculative
basis with a trio of two-storey pavilions of 10,000 sq.ft each,'' says
Bill Colville. ''These can be offered individually or are capable of
being linked for a larger space user.''
One of the units has been fitted out to give potential tenants an idea
of the quality of the scheme. Units 2 and 3 are still in a shell and
core condition, so that tenants can have the finish tailored to meet
their own requirements.
The buildings have impressive sound-proofing which effectively kills
aircraft noise and the traffic sounds from the nearby main road.
''Nobody who works in these buildings will have their work affected by
external noise,'' says Andrew Heron of Tilbury Douglas.
Car parking is provided at the business park at a rate of 40 per
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Business
park: the
key is
flexibility
Continued from Page 5
pavilion, or one space per 250 sq.ft,
which compares very favourably with typical city-centre ratios of one
space to every 2500 sq.ft. The first tenants will find that landscaping
works in front of the business park are already well advanced.
Tenants will also find that the business park is part of the Phoenix
project -- a mixed scheme consisting of retail, leisure, business,
industrial, and residential space. The whole scheme is estimated to be
worth about #200m and covers more than 300 acres. Staff at the business
park will be able to park, shop, enjoy a snack, or take advantage of the
leisure facilities.
''The Phoenix certainly benefits from its strategic master planning,''
says Bill Colville. ''The advantages of low-density development, good
internal road communications with easy motorway access, a McDonald's, an
Arnold Clark car showroom, and nearby retail and leisure facilities, are
all features that will immediately benefit the occupier.
''In themselves, the individual pavilions offer companies a
high-quality image. The self-contained units have a very modern design
and are being offered at realistic rents.''
Bill Colville believes the development sites on the business park,
which offer occupiers a design-and-build potential, are another key
selling point. ''Many firms have specialist requirements nowadays and we
can help them to meet their own needs,'' he says. ''We have a design
team on the project which can provide a rapid response to meet any
occupier's requirements. We can turn out schemes and costings very
quickly indeed -- within 24 hours, if necessary.''
With design-and-build in mind, the master plan for the Phoenix scheme
is being looked at again to ensure that all of the strategic sites can
be used to the best advantage.
''Obviously the master plan won't change dramatically, but we want to
plan for the sort of flexibility which will allow us to take account of
changes in market conditions and to identify specific locations which
are capable of being developed as prestigious sites,'' says Bill
Colville. ''For example, there is an excellent landmark site at the
corner of Linwood Road adjacent to the roundabout which has very high
visibility and would make an excellent HQ location.''
He believes the business park's location will attract car-borne
operators. ''Firms such as construction companies, which might only need
10,000 sq.ft, but require 30 car parking spaces, would find the business
park ideal. So would life-assurance companies and both back and
front-office functions for financial services sectors, administrative
headquarters, computing organisation, sales and services provisions,
etc.
''I also feel this kind of environment is particularly suitable for
young and growing companies.''
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