Major Developments

St. Modwen welcomes leading professional services firm to Longbridge

St. Modwen is celebrating the opening of a new state-of-the-art office development in Longbridge as it welcomes independent professional services consultancy Barnett Waddingham into its new headquarters.

The new 21,000 sq ft office building, located in the heart of Longbridge Town Centre, reached completion in February and was delivered by St. Modwen for Barnett Waddingham after the firm signed a 15-year pre-let agreement in December 2018. The deal, recognised as the biggest out-of-town letting in the region for Q4 2018, brings over 150 jobs to Longbridge and marks the firm’s commitment to the Midlands, where it has held a presence for more than a decade.

Following a period of significant growth, Barnett Waddingham sought additional capacity for its growing workforce. Longbridge’s unique position, located just eight miles from Birmingham City Centre and close to both the M5 and M42 motorways, attracted the firm to the town.

Barnett Waddingham’s move to Longbridge sees the firm join a roster of local and national businesses that call the town home and benefit from its access to public transport, local amenities and green open spaces.

Barnett Waddingham is an ambitious professional services firm whose next chapter is now starting here in Longbridge. We have worked closely with its team for a number of years to deliver a facility that meets its exact requirements, including delivering a building that achieves first-class environmental credentials.

St. Modwen’s ongoing regeneration of Longbridge continues to attract high-calibre occupiers to the town. It is an excellent place to live, work and visit, and its location continues to be a major draw for businesses. As we look forward into a post-COVID world, businesses are increasingly seeking spaces outside of busy city centres, however, still near major transport infrastructure. This gives their employees flexibility in their commutes, such as access to car parking and cycle routes, as well as considerable open spaces for them to enjoy.”

Rob Flavell, Senior Director – Regeneration (Midlands & North) at St. Modwen

In spite of the pandemic and the terrible consequences it has caused, Barnett Waddingham remains ambitious and is continuing to focus on delivering quality services for our clients. We anticipate further sustainable growth in the future and this, together with our current resilience, has enabled us to continue to invest in all areas of our business.

As part of any investment as a business, we strive to always do the right thing and this includes our ethos on sustainability. It is great to see the building’s design, specification and location have all contributed to achieving the technical rating for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) of ‘very good’. The installation of dedicated electric vehicle charging points, the proximity to public amenities such as Longbridge train station, solar panels and building insulation have all been key factors to achieving this status. The new site is also our most efficient building in terms of floor space utilisation, natural daylight and fresh air delivery, all aspects we have been working hard on over the last two years.”

David Stoddard, Chief Operating Officer at Barnett Waddingham

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