FHP is pleased to announce the sale of the former ambulance station on Windsor Road, Louth on behalf of East Midlands Ambulance Service.

Following relocation of the ambulance services functions to the fire service site in Louth, FHP were instructed to undertake a marketing campaign to identify a purchaser for the redundant site.

Following marketing and a best bids process, the site has now been sold to Wilham Properties who intend to redevelop the site.

Wilham Properties were represented by HEB Surveyors in Nottingham.

Phil Daniels of FHP, who led the sale, commented:

“We were pleased by the level of interest generated from our marketing campaign – we hosted 18 viewings at the property prior to the best bids process”.

All enquiries to FHP.

END

Phil Daniels

Date:  12 August 2019

Tel:  0115 950 7577/01332 224 855

Email:  phil@fhp.co.uk

FHP’s Blue Light Estate’s Jonathan Bishop on behalf of Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service has acquired a warehouse in Castle Donington which has been converted into a new fire station.

The 10,225ft² industrial unit at Building 97 on Beverley Road located within the East Midlands Airport Campus is now already operational within a few weeks of completion.

The unit comprises 6,742ft² of warehouse and 1,741ft² of office space at the ground floor with further offices of 1,741ft² to the first floor and is a secure self-contained site just a short distance from the M1 motorway.

Jonathan Bishop, Head of FHP’s Blue Light Estates Department, acting on behalf of the Fire Authority commented:

“I’ve probably acquired more fire stations than anyone else in the country in recent years but other than a temporary decant, this is the first conversion of an industrial unit we have done.

The location and configuration of the new facility was fundamental to my client’s from an operational perspective.  We needed to secure an opportunity that served both Castle Donington but also with immediate access to the M1 whilst at the same time, satisfying requirements of a modern day fire station.  Building 97 satisfied all and I am delighted for my client”.

The airport campus benefits from superb communication via Junction 23a and 24 of the M1 motorway, A50 and the A42/M4.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop at FHP Property Consultants on 0115 950 7577.

As a Director within FHP’s Professional Services Team my own work now focuses primarily on two areas. Business Rates to reduce liabilities whether a building is occupied or vacant and Lease Consultancy providing advice to both Landlords and Tenants at lease renewal, rent review and during lease re gear negotiations.

I am experienced in providing Expert Witness evidence at both Valuation Tribunal and during the course of dispute resolution regarding rent reviews and lease renewals.

I work across the Country for a wide variety of clients from institutional investors and pension funds to entrepreneurial businesses and developers.

I am also an APC Counsellor to a number of the FHP Graduates and I help co-ordinate in-house training sessions to support our APC candidates.

We knew when our 21,000ft² building on Sherwood Park became vacant that we were setting our Marketing Agents a tough task in asking them to identify a strong company to let the entire building. Having worked with FHP over the years we knew that they would do their utmost to achieve our aspirations and by letting the entire building to Countrywide Surveyors they have done exactly that. FHP agreed terms in a competitive environment and worked alongside our Legal Advisors to conclude a very satisfactory outcome.

Valuation encompasses all aspects of professional work and it’s of paramount importance to have a broad depth of knowledge and experience in order to advise clients appropriately.

I provide extensive valuation advice, primarily within the East Midlands, for a variety of purposes. Key clients range from the majority of the major lending institutions to private individuals.

Within the Education sector, I am developing our work with Academy clients, where FHP Education has advised over 200 Academies since 2012.

Another key area of my work is in respect of Compensation and Compulsory Purchase, where in particular I have acted on behalf of a variety of claimants on schemes including the Nottingham Express Transit NET2 tram, A46 Newark to Widmerpool Trunk Road Improvement, Loughborough Inner Relief Road and the Nottingham Left Bank Flood Alleviation Scheme.

The property market is constantly changing and the economic events of recent years have clearly demonstrated the importance of open, analytical, market-informed appraisals which FHP prides itself on providing to our clients.

FHP’s Blue Light Estates Team led, by Jonathan Bishop, are instructed by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service with the disposal of Ashley Fire Station, subject to its proposed relocation to Loggerheads.

The 0.5 acre site is to be sold freehold as the firefighters prepare to relocate to new facilities better suited to the operational and community requirements of the proactive service it is today.

The fire station is situated in the rural village of Ashley which lies approximately 9 miles south-west of Stoke on Trent, 15 miles north-west of Stafford and 7 miles from Junction 15 of the M6 Motorway.

The property comprises a purpose built single storey Fire Station incorporating office accommodation and single appliance bay with roller shutter access to the front and rear.  The building is set within a level rectangular site including yard and training tower and has an asking price of £350,000.

Jonathan Bishop commented:

“We worked closely with our clients in acquiring the relocation site at Loggerheads and are now delighted that we can progress with the sale of the existing station which will soon become surplus to requirements”.

Station Manager Mark Walchester said:

“The existing station at Ashley was built in the 1960’s, it is proving costly to maintain and it no longer meets our requirements in terms of the facilities it offers or the location. This new station in Loggerheads will allow us to improve response times and will provide us with state-of-the-art facilities that will benefit the firefighters, the community and our partner organisations”.

The station is one of 11 Community Fire Stations in Staffordshire being rebuilt as part of a £46 million Private Finance Initiative. A consortium called Blue3 will be responsible for the design, construction and ongoing maintenance of the 11 community fire stations. All stations are expected to be open by 2016.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop or Lucinda Hancock at FHP Property Consultants on 0115 950 7577.

This is my first time out at MIPIM. I’ve got to be honest – I figured I’d end up just meeting the same people I do at home.

In fact, I’ve spent the past few days cementing some very good relationships. On Tuesday night I found myself sitting next to Peter Soulsby, the Mayor Of Leicester, having meaningful conversations about land acquisitions. Back home, it would probably take time just to get through the door.

In a word, MIPIM is fantastic for relationships. Everyone is open to a proper conversation because they need to do business. I bumped into a senior councillor and the interim director from Stoke City Council in the street here and had a long chat with them about the work we’ve been doing with Staffordshire Fire Service and I now know I can pick up the phone and talk to them about our next project.

Some of the events I have attended have been very impressive. Marketing Derby, I think, have put on an exceptional show here. They’ve done an extremely good job in promoting the city and taking a very pragmatic approach.

They are making it clear they want you to come and talk to them and that they will work with you, which is exactly what you want to hear as an agent. Leicester has also been very aggressive about securing investment.

What I’ve seen here out at MIPIM makes me very proud of the whole East Midlands because everybody now knows that it is a region that is open for business.

Nottinghamshire Police and Fire Service are set to move out of their City Centre stations with the Police looking to relocate within the City Centre and with the new fire station to be built elsewhere in the City.

Jonathan Bishop, head of Blue Light Estates, has been instructed to dispose of the site together with the acquisition of a relocation site for the Fire Authority.

The site in totality amounts to in the order of 1.4 acres with a location that is enviable and a great opportunity for any developer/occupier.

Jonathan commented:

“The sale of this prime City Centre site would avoid the need of an expensive refurbishment of the current buildings and will help pay for a new purpose built fire station designed to meet the latest operational needs of our clients.”

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Paddy Tipping, said he was keen to see a Police presence within the City and is looking at sites with the City Council.  He added:

“Whilst Central Police Station has been a landmark building for many years, it is now outdated and no longer financially viable.  We are currently considering a number of City Centre locations and working with the City Council to try and identify a property suitable for running an integrated service centre which will be easy for the public to access.”

Expressions of interest are invited by way of a sale or an option agreement. 

FHP’s Blue Light Estates Team led, by Jonathan Bishop, are instructed by West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to act on their behalf with the disposal of a further seven stations following the recent acquisitions of the ‘make ready hubs’.

FHP have recently marketed Phase One, Phase Two and Phase Three A disposals which consisted of 20 stations.

The sites will be sold on a freehold vacant possession basis as the ‘make ready’ project sees ambulance teams relocate to new premises in a drive to re-channel the estate costs into front line ambulance provisions.

FHP’s Blue Light Estates Team have already acquired the ‘make ready’ hubs which form part of a £9.6 million make ready scheme. 

The latest phase of disposals includes Chelmsley Wood, Dordon, Hobmoor Road, Monyhull, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Craven Arms.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop or Lucinda Hancock at FHP Property Consultants on 0115 950 7577.

FHP’s Blue Light Estates Team led, by Jonathan Bishop, are instructed by West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to act on their behalf with the disposal of a further eight stations following the recent acquisitions of the ‘make ready hubs’.

FHP have recently marketed Phase One and Phase Two disposals which consisted of 15 stations.

The disposals form part of a £9.6 million make-ready scheme which will see the creation of a number of hubs and community stations across the region, which FHP’s Blue Light Estates have recently acquired.

The site will be sold on a freehold vacant possession basis as the ‘make ready’ project sees ambulance teams relocate to new premises in a drive to re-channel the estate costs into front line ambulance provisions.

The latest phase of disposals includes Evesham, Shropshire, Nuneaton, Rugby, Whitchurch and Oswestry.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop or Lucinda Hancock at FHP Property Consultants on 0115 950 7577.

FHP’s Blue Light Estates Team led, by Jonathan Bishop, has recently agreed to dispose of the Phase One sites which have become available as a consequence of West Midlands Ambulance Service’s pioneering transformational change.

Phase One of the surplus sites consist of eight former ambulance stations and are all under offer for well in excess of the Trust’s book value.  Negotiations were concluded by way of an informal tender with 50% of the sales agreed being on an unconditional basis.

FHP are now instructed to market the Phase Two sites which comprise seven stations at Bilston, Bridgnorth, Park Lane, Penn, Tettenhall, Tweedale and West Bromwich with an informal tender date being set for 6 July 2012.

Jonathan Bishop commented:

“Through our marketing initiatives we have established high demand for the Phase One sites, resulting in 55 bids being received on the tender date.  Within the first two weeks of exposing the Phase Two sites to the market, we have already undertaken 65 viewings”.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop at FHP Property Consultants on 07889 251 401.

Work has now commenced for a new Headquarters facility for Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service together with a new station on the same site at Birstall, Leicester.

The new headquarters has been designed to create an open environment which aims to encourage team working and allows teams to interact more freely.  The building includes break out areas for less formal discussions and fully functional conference and meeting facilities.  The building has also been designed to be environmentally efficient and so will have lower maintenance running costs than their current facility.

Jonathan Bishop, who heads FHP Blue Light Estates acted on behalf of The Authority in acquiring the site commented:

“I am naturally delighted for my clients as this acquisition comes during a difficult economic climate.  The Service will benefit greatly from these modern, energy efficient buildings which will serve them well into the 21^st century.”

The investment on the Birstall site will not only create a new headquarters building but will also provide a new fire and rescue station.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop at FHP Property Consultants on 0115 950 7577.

FHP’s Blue Light Estates Team led by Jonathan Bishop are instructed by West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust to act on their behalf with the acquisition of their ‘make ready’ hubs and as a consequence the disposal of their surplus sites as the organisation undergoes its transformational change.

FHP are currently marketing eight sites forming Phase One of the disposal element as a consequence of the new facility being secured.

The sites will be sold on a freehold vacant possession basis as the ‘make ready’ project sees ambulance teams relocate to new premises in a drive to re-channel estate costs into front line ambulance provisions. 

West Midlands Ambulance Services cover approximately 5,000 sq miles and serves a population of 5.3 million people living in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Coventry, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and the Birmingham and Black Country conurbations.  The ‘make ready’ scheme has already been successfully pioneered by the Staffordshire Ambulance Service which has been proven to have some of the fastest emergency response times in England.

“We are making extremely good progress having already secured a number of relocation hubs and sites identified for the unsatisfied areas” said Jonathan Bishop.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop at FHP Property Consultants on 07889 251 401.

The former 1.76 acre Buxton Fire Station has now been sold for residential development for £1.519 million, following completion of the new £3.4 million fire station.   

Jonathan Bishop, who heads FHP Blue Light Estates acted on behalf of Derbyshire Fire Authority, securing the relocation site at Staden Lane and disposing of the former site to Ben Bailey Homes on a conditional basis. 

The former fire station is now to be demolished after permission was granted for twenty one homes to be built on the site, incorporating six affordable units. 

Jonathan commented:

“I am delighted to have now completed the overall relocation, the new station is fabulous and the old station will not only improve the amenity to have houses on the site rather than a fire station but the capital receipt will go a long way towards the cost of the new station.”

Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service opens fire station number six in a line of ten new Community Stations being built under a Private Finance Initiative project.

The state of the art station comes complete with community facilities, a partnership area, a gym and a training building.  Fire fighters have been working from a temporary fire station located on the site since construction started in March 2010.  As well as the fire fighters, The Risk Reduction & Fire Safety Team from the North Staffordshire area will move into the station.

Jonathan Bishop, Partner of FHP Blue Light Estates commented:-

“We have been working hard on behalf of the Authority in not only the new ten stations which were formed under PFI1 but also the next 11 through the second tranche of PF2 and I am delighted to see Hanley completed.”

Steve Knight, PFI Programme Director, SFRS commented:-

“Jonathan has been an instrumental part of our property team in securing these sites and assisting deliverability of the overall project”

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop at FHP Property Consultants on 0115 950 7577.

Buxton’s new £3.5 million purpose built Community Fire Station has recently been completed and has now become operational. 

The new station incorporates energy saving features and has been designed to maximise the use of space on the new site in order to facilitate enhanced fire fighter training.

Jonathan Bishop, Partner of FHP who heads up FHP Blue Light Estates commented:-

“We naturally exhausted all potential relocation sites with Staden Lane being perfect from an operational, future proofing and financial perspective.  Buxton Station provides a flagship development for the “Authority”.

The building, which is one of four resilient centres for the service across the county, is designed to allow operations to be maintained in times of emergency comprising the operational fire station with a four bay appliance garage and with training facilities for fire fighters such as new ‘live’ gas fired Fire unit which simulates various house fire scenarios, cold smoke house and tower.  The station also includes facilities for community use including a community room on associated facilities, YES Scheme, Fire Cadet provision and accommodation for Derbyshire Cave Rescue and Buxton Mountain Rescue Teams.   

Renewable energy features at the station include photovoltaic panels, a solar hot water system on the roof and automatic censored lighting.  These features are designed to reduce the running costs and overall carbon emissions of the new building.  Furthermore incorporation of sustainable drainage and a grey water recycling system demonstrates Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service’s ongoing commitments to reduce impact on increasingly precious environmental resources.

Jonathan also acted on behalf of Derbyshire on their community fire stations at Chesterfield, Staveley, Ilkeston and Derby.

For further information please contact Jonathan Bishop at FHP Property Consultants on 0115 950 7577.