Part of Wakefield House, one of Swindon’s most prestigious office locations, has come onto the market following the move by former occupier Smiths News to a new headquarters on the town’s Kembrey Park.
Smiths News’ relocation means 24,000 sq ft of modern, air conditioned office space is now available on a single floorplate at Wakefield House. The landmark 170,000 sq ft building is home to blue-chip occupiers such as BP, Nationwide Building Society, Intrinsic Financial Services and Infosys.
It was built in 1972 as the showpiece headquarters for Burmah Castrol and is set in nearly 11 acres of landscaped grounds off Pipers Way and close to the M4.
Swindon property agents Whitmarsh Lockhart and the Bristol office of Knight Frank have been jointly instructed to market part the available space, which forms part of the ground floor.
“The high standard of accommodation and unique design of the building has attracted occupiers such as BP and Nationwide Building Society,” said Daniel Smethurst of Whitmarsh Lockhart.
“The building also has generous car parking offering the occupier an excellent car parking ratio of approximately 1:260ft².”
The available suite has a high-quality internal specification including air conditioning, suspended ceilings and trunking. There are on-site catering facilities together with generous internal and external break out areas.
Mr Smethurst added: “We are delighted to be working with Knight Frank on this high-profile instruction and feel confident that a combination of the flexible floor plates, excellent car parking ratio, together with a quality built environment will appeal to occupiers. The building oozes gravitas and has always proved popular with the occupier marketplace.”
Joanna Crofts of Knight Frank said: “Wakefield House is a landmark building in Swindon offering high quality office space with excellent facilities. We are delighted to be involved.”
Wakefield House was bought by Israeli-owned Delta Properties for just under £10m last year. Shortly afterwards BP, which employs around 540 people at Wakefield House, which acts as the head office for its lubricants business including marketing for its international Castrol brand, renewed its lease for 52,000 sq ft in the building.
