Former Brass Agency HQ in Leeds sold to developer for £1.6m

The former ‘gothic castle’ headquarters of collapsed marketing agency Brass have been sold to a developer for £1.6m.

Illuminating Investments, run by David Aspland, bought Moorfield House in Headingley, Leeds, after Brass Agency went into administration at the end of 2019.

Brass tried to sell its headquarters to raise cash before it collapsed on November 29 but it was not possible in the time available.

The property includes a grade two listed office building and single storey linked extension building with 50 car parking spaces on a 1.61 acre site on Alma Road.

Moorfield House has the potential to be redeveloped, subject to planning, into apartments, with its original features restored.

The single storey office building could be demolished for new build mews houses, according to CBRE’s UK development and residential northern team, who sold the building.

David Aspland, director of Illuminating Investments, said: “Moorfield House is exactly the type of opportunity we look for, it’s brilliantly located, interesting, and has bags of potential for future redevelopment incorporating office or residential use.

“It also appeals to specific end users and we are talking in detail to such a party at the present time.”

Illuminating Investments is an independent property development and investment company which focuses on refurbishing and new build mixed use schemes for the residential and commercial sectors.

Nina Barker, CBRE’s head of northern residential sales and marketing, said: “We are delighted to secure a sale on Moorfield House which offers an exceptional redevelopment opportunity for Illuminating Investments in a popular suburb of Leeds.

“The property’s Tudor gothic castle style is an appealing feature for the conversion development in an excellent location.”

The Victorian building was constructed between 1855 and 1856 by William Glover Joy, a seed crusher, oil merchant and former Leeds Mayor, on land which earlier belonged to the estate of the 7th Earl of Cardigan who led the ill-fated charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean war.

The administration of Brass, which provided marketing services to local, national and global organisations, led to all its 60 employees being made redundant.

Administrators from KPMG said the firm faced increasing cash flow pressure in the months before it collapsed and the directors sought to secure additional finance and sell the company’s headquarters but it ran out of time.

Former staff swiftly began the process of taking legal action against the company following allegations that it failed to properly consult staff when making redundancies

Meanwhile, Manchester-based PR group Inc & Co acquired the name and assets of Brass.