Developer to build final phase of Leeds office park

David Aspin, of Munroe K, the owner and developer of White Rose Office Park, in Leeds, said work will start on site in April to construct the third and final 35,000 sq ft building on the development.

Plans for the new 4.5m building, known as 3 Munroe Court, have been on the drawing board since planning permission was received in 2008.

GMI Construction is carrying out the building work, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, and Mr Aspin is self-financing the project with the hope of securing early occupier interest.

The last two buildings on the scheme secured lettings from WSP and West Yorkshire Police within just weeks of their completion in 2007, and he is hoping for similar success this time around even though the market has completely changed.

Mr Aspin said: "Signalled by improving occupancy levels and an ever increasing demand for brand new office accommodation, by deciding to go

ahead with a speculative build I will be in a position to offer accommodation of the highest quality with immediate availability."

He hopes to attract further blue chip occupiers to White Rose Office Park to sit alongside O2, WSP, HSBC and DePuy.

He added: "The park is fully-occupied and the existing out-of-town stock is quite limited. We think a new building on our park would respond well to future market circumstances."

Architects Carey Jones designed the building and Mr Aspin also commissioned an environmental consultant to help create a sustainable building.

The building will also include a restaurant, coffee shop, gym, luxury therapy rooms, underground parking and on-site 24-hour security.

In addition to this new development, White Rose Office Park received planning permission for a 2,500 sq ft winter caf, a 2,300 sq ft extension to the Hub and an illuminated entrance extension to the current O2 building.

The park is also trying to engage employees and stimulate a healthier work-life balance with an intranet system and monthly newsletter, a green travel plan and a discount system in conjunction with the adjacent White Rose shopping centre.

Joint lettings agents on the park are Jones Lang LaSalle, Knight Frank and DTZ.

Jeff Pearey, director at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "We are confident that the quality on offer at White Rose Office Park will continue to attract the highest calibre of tenants.

"The first three new buildings, although now between three and five years old, still represent some of the finest out-of-town buildings in the North."

Adam Cockroft, director of the national office agency division at DTZ, said: "White Rose Office Park has always been at the forefront of the occupier's mind based upon its location, amenities and unrivalled quality, essentially offering a city centre standard of building in a campus style position to the south of Leeds."

Guy Cooke, partner at Knight Frank, added: "This is a very positive and welcome move. White Rose Office Park has a proven track record in attracting blue chip occupiers, not just locally but on a national basis. We are already canvassing serious interest in this latest building."

What's in a name...

The 27-acre White Rose Office Park was established in 1984 as the UK headquarters and production facility for Systime Computers, then the second largest computer manufacturer in the UK.

Developer David Aspin bought it from BAE and established his firm, Munroe K, on April 12, 1995.

The name, he revealed, comes from his favourite fly for fly-fishing. "It's actually called the Munroe Killer but I didn't think that that was appropriate so we called it Munroe K,"

he said.