Smiths Medical Moves To Town
Quadrant Estates has
secured a new letting at Eureka Park in Ashford, to
Smiths Medical International Ltd.
Smiths Medical International has taken 24,172 sq ft at Eureka
Park’s recently completed headquarter building known as ‘Herald’,
which was built speculatively and completed at the beginning of the
year.
A 15 year lease, with a headline rent of £19.50 per square foot was
agreed, which marks a new record rent for Eureka Park and an
important milestone in the current Kent occupier market. A single
floor of 11,000 sq ft remains available.
Smiths Medical will take the first and second floors of this
three-storey building following the relocation of its International
business headquarters from Hythe in East Kent. This move
demonstrates Smiths Medical’s commitment to the area, and also will
serve as an important training and education centre for healthcare
professionals and distributor customers.
Tristram Gethin, director of Quadrant Estates stated: “This
letting to Smiths is fantastic for Eureka Park and reinforces its
viability as a destination which will be further enhanced with the
opening of the new 37 minute rail link to London in December.
"Despite the economic downturn, Quadrant is continuing to attract
leading companies by offering high quality buildings at competitive
rents, firmly putting Eureka and Ashford on the map”.
Herald is a high profile steel and glass office building
totaling 35,750 sq ft which forms the second phase of offices at
Eureka Park in Ashford, a designated area for growth. The initial
51,000 sq ft Northdown office development has been very well
received by local and regional occupiers with 100% of the space now
committed.
In February 2009, Quadrant Estates received planning permission
for a further phase of Northdown offices, to be known as Northdown
II, which totals 104,000 sq ft and includes a pre-sale of 34,000 sq
ft to Basepoint Business Centres.
Robert Martine of Martine Waghorn who negotiated the deal said:
“The commitment from Smiths Medical under current market conditions
demonstrates that Eureka Park is a first class site and illustrates
the benefits that a mixed use business environment of this quality
can offer growing companies.
"The relocation to Eureka Park means that companies will be
within a short distance of high speed trains from London and
elsewhere in Kent, which will help with recruiting.”
Smiths Medical was represented by John Roberts of Ayot
Consulting. Quadrant Estates was represented by Martine Waghorn,
Knight Frank and Bidwells.
Judith Armitt, Managing Director of Ashford’s Future, the agency
overseeing Ashford’s growth programme, said: “Smith Medical’s move
demonstrates the attractiveness of Ashford’s location to outside
investors and high-tech businesses.
"The continued expansion of Eureka Park takes Ashford a step
closer to being one of the biggest business hubs in the South
East.”
Media Release 0110/09
06/04/2009
This webpage was updated on
4/7/2009