Helios Properties News

HelioSlough’s Herts rail development rejected

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:57:00 GMT

HelioSlough’s plans to build a 3.5m sq ft rail freight depot near Radlett in Hertfordshire have been rejected by Department for Communites and Local Communities secretary Hazel Blears.

The planning inspectorate informed St Albans District Council of its decision this morning.

Helioslough had wanted to build five warehouses with lighting masts, including parking for 2,000 vehicles.

Last year, a planning inquiry was launched into the proposals from the joint venture between Helios and Segro for the site after the district council refused planning permission in February 2007.

But the plans were opposed by local pressure group Stop The Rail Freight Exchange (STRIFE) as well as local councils, including the Liberal Democrats, which said it was delighted with today’s outcome.

‘We are extremely disappointed with the decision,’ Helios’s co-founder Mike Hughes said. ‘However, we are gratified that in the Secretary of State’s detailed reasoning, she recognises the country’s need for strategically located rail-served distribution hubs of the type promoted at Radlett and accepts the principle that they may be best located on Green belt sites.

‘The decision in respect of Radlett hinges principally on the methodology employed in the analysis of suitable alternative sites. We are reviewing this and the decision in general together with our legal planning advisers.

Zagreb Business Park bought for EUR 68 million

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:49:00 GMT

Croatia's only international logistics park has been bought by Helios Properties for around EUR 68 million. Zagreb Business Park, which has 95,000 m2 of warehousing space, is located 6 km from the Slovenian border. The sale was announced by the Park's sole letting agent King Sturge.

SIRFT is Nominated for IAS Award

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:50:00 GMT

SIRFT, in Sheffield is shortlisted for the Best Speculative Development category at the IAS Awards being held in London on 9th October 2008.

CBRE Investors and Helios Get Go Ahead for Ingolstadt Scheme

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:08:00 GMT

CBRE Investors, together with Helios Properties as its development adviser, have received building permission for its speculative warehouse scheme at Interpark, Ingolstadt, Germany.

Construction on the logistics premises will include a new single warehouse of approximately 36,000 sq m together with 900 sq m of office space. Work is scheduled to begin in August.

The site was originally purchased in autumn of last year by CBRE Investors; permission for the scheme were received ten weeks after submission of the planning application.

Today (Tuesday, July 1st 2008 ), Herr Knapp, of the local planning authority, in the presence of Herr Diepold, Mayor of Grossmehring, handed over the official planning permission to Werner Hardt, Prokurist at CBRE Investors Germany, for the scheme. The ceremony held in Interpark was also attended by Andrew Hildreth of Helios Properties and Peter Kerscher of Silver Construction Engineering as well as other representatives of the local planning and construction teams in Grossmehring.

Werner Hardt, says: “The granting of the planning consent is a testament to both the positive way in which development is viewed in the Ingolstadt area and the hard work and collaboration of the local authority.

“This is an exciting step for CB Richard Ellis Strategic Partners Europe Fund III as we continue to build out our pan European acquisition programme. The diligence and cooperation of Herr Kratzer and his planning team is greatly appreciated. “

Work on the scheme is scheduled to begin in August with completion in the spring of 2009.

CBRE and DTZ are marketing agents for the scheme.

New Vienna Office and Appointments to Support Helios` European Growth

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:03:00 GMT

Helios is to open an office in Vienna to support its increasing presence in the central and eastern markets. A number of high profile appointments have been recruited to the European team and will serve a range of projects throughout the region.

The company, headed by Mike Hughes and Trevor Cartner, currently has eleven projects underway throughout central and eastern Europe with a projected pipeline of over 15 million sq ft (1.5 million sq m). The new office will provide easier access to strategic markets in Russia, Ukraine, the Balkan states, Turkey and Greece.

Alan Perkins joins as a European development director. Formerly of Freeport and Heron, where he oversaw the Barcelona and Stockholm Heron City developments, he has extensive European development experience. Alan will be initially responsible for Romania, delivering the Mercury and Olympian Parks industrial and logistics projects, as well as wider acquisition and management responsibilities.

Rebecca Reichmann joins the team as European development director concentrating on new logistics projects in central and Eastern Europe, as well as heading up the marketing and leasing activity for the Ubershed logistics projects in Berlin, Leipzig and Munich. She was formally with the DTZ Capital Markets team and has strong European property experience.

John Clements joins as European development director from the Corporate Finance team of King Sturge, where he spent four years specialising in the structuring and management of investment funding for commercial property in central and eastern European markets. John will focus on securing and delivering development opportunities in this region.

All three will be based at the new Vienna office, with Alan overseeing the Bucharest operation.

In addition, existing director Giles Scott has a new role, spearheading the company’s move into the Ukraine and Russia, having successfully established Helios’ presence in Romania.
Mike Hughes, executive director of Helios Properties, comments: “Vienna is the gateway to Eastern Europe and, as such, is the perfect location for our new regional headquarters. We expect Vienna to evolve as our company hq as our European development activity continues to intensify.”

The new additions to the Helios team will help us take advantage of latent demand in the logistics market and I expect our European portfolio to grow to over €1 billion in the next two years.”

Fengate East, Peterborough

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:31:00 GMT

Helios' new industrial unit scheme in Peterborough is now on site.

Construction has started on the first phase of Fengate East, with 143,000 sq.ft being built and due for completion in March 2009.

Phase 1 will comprise of eighteen units, ranging from 3,000 sq.ft to 36,000 sq.ft, all incorporating high specification office areas. Some units are suitable for trade counter use.

Helios Development Director Barrie Whight comments, "Fengate East is an exciting scheme for Helios and our long-standing development partners CBRE Investors." He continues, "The scheme incorporates high quality design with exceptional location and I am sure will be a resounding success."

TV120 Nominated For IAS Award

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:10:00 GMT

Helios Properties' TV120 scheme at Wynyard Park has been nominated for a prestigious IAS Award.

Amongst the finalists is the 'Best Multi-Unit Scheme of the year' category, TV120 demonstrates high quality, excellent location and thoughtful design as key strengths.

The 2008 IAS (Industrial Agents Society) award ceremony will take place in October and Helios is looking forward to success with TV120.

Helios tees off new scheme

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:46:00 GMT

An event to celebrate the successful completion of one of the latest schemes to be constructed at the prestigious 700-acre Wynyard Park mixed-use development attracted over fifty national and regional property agents.

The occasion, hosted by international property development company Helios Properties plc, was to mark the unveiling of a new high specification industrial unit scheme called Tees Valley One Twenty (TV120).

Guests were treated to a special golf theme as one of the development’s eight units was transformed into a miniature crazy golf course and a golf driving competition ran throughout the event using a simulator set up for the day.

Those who attended were also given tours of the complex of brand new industrial units that have been speculatively built by Helios and occupy a total of 123,910 sq ft over 8 acres.

Barrie Whight, Development Director from Helios Properties, said that he was very pleased with the turnout.

“This is an interesting new development in a great location that offers purpose-built industrial accommodation that has been built to a high specification and I think people were interested to see what was on offer,” he said.

Adding, “I am sure that the golf aspect provided an additional attraction!”

TV120 comprises eight brand new purpose built units available for sale or let ranging from 11,378 sq ft to 30,516 sq ft that are aimed at expanding small businesses looking to own their own premises or established businesses requiring high quality space.

Barrie commented: “It is the location that is absolutely the key feature of this development and which makes it especially marketable.

“Wynyard Park is the prominent lifestyle and business location in the north east and a superb logistical advantage to companies that are located there.”

Sanderson Weatherall and GVA Lamb and Edge are marketing the scheme on behalf of Helios.

Stonebridge Durham

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:15:00 GMT

HeliosCity have launched their £12.5m Stonebridge Business Park development on the western fringes of Durham City, close to the historic site of Nevilles Cross. The development comprises 12 self contained two storey office units in varying sizes ranging from 1,278 sq ft to 11,040 sq ft with the flexibility for bespoke variances. The scheme will be build in three courtyard phases, in a landscaped environment befitting of its green belt location. All units are available for rent or purchase and HeliosCity has appointed Bradley Hall and Naylors as joint agents. Preparatory work is underway to clear the site of the old dairy buildings used by the previous owners, in readiness for a start on site.

TV120 Complete

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:47:00 GMT

Helios Properties have recently completed the latest phase of development at the successful Wynyard Park, which with over 700 acres forms one of the largest mixed use developments in the North East offering high quality office, warehouse and distribution facilities supported by a modern conference centre & extensive leisure facilities. Tees Valley One Twenty is the latest development comprising 8 high quality speculative industrial/ warehouse units varying from 11,378 sq ft to 30,516 sq ft. The buildings are available either for sale or to let.

Sanderson Weatherall and GVA Lamb and Edge are marketing the scheme on behalf of Helios. Jonathan Simpson, at Sanderson Weatherall said: “We are delighted to have been appointed alongside GVA to market this high profile scheme which brings a unique proposition to the region. With excellent transport links to the A1 (M) and A19, the development offers both the local and regional market a fantastic opportunity to acquire new business premises.

“Here in Teesside we are still seeing a good level of demand for Industrial and Warehouse space and take up remains good both on a freehold and leasehold basis. Early interest in the scheme has been good and we hope to be able to announce our first occupier shortly”.

Barrie Whight at Helios Says” we are delighted to have now completed TV120, a high specification scheme forming part of the prestigious Wynyard Park estate in the North East of England” He continues “With a total of eight units, in a range of sizes, this scheme provides excellent accommodation for a wide range of potential occupiers.”

HelioSlough wins award at IAS Property Awards 2007

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:02:00 GMT

HelioSlough is proud to have picked up the award for 'Best Speculative Developmen' for Nimbus Park, Doncaster at the IAS Property Awards held on 2 October in London.

CB Richard Ellis Strategic Partners Europe Fund III and HeliosPheonix Announce Major German Deal

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:56:00 GMT

CB Richard Ellis Strategic Partners Europe Fund III (SPE III), a pan European fund managed by CB Richard Ellis Investors, and HeliosPhoenix, the central and eastern European arm of Helios Properties, have announced plans to build Germany’s largest-ever speculative logistics development programme.

SPE III has purchased three sites totalling over 81 ha at Schonefeld, Berlin, Ingolstadt, near Munich and Leipzig and with development manager HeliosPhoenix plans to develop over 250,000 square metres.

All three sites are zoned for logistics use and are ready for immediate development. Both the Berlin and Leipzig sites are adjacent to international airfreight facilities while the one in Munich is close to an Audi manufacturing plant and the Kehlheim inland port.

Construction is due to start speculatively on each site in the Spring of next year with the first buildings ready nine months later.

Mike Hughes, executive director of HeliosPhoenix, says: “We believe that there is a massive underprovision of modern institutional quality accommodation in the German logistics sector. The national economy is witnessing steady growth and this is forecast to impact positively on tenant demand during the next 18 months.”

Through this acquisition, SPE III continues its pan European acquisition program. The fund portfolio comprises buildings located in Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands.
Real estate advice was provided by DTZ.

Helios City Provides the Missing Link

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:49:00 GMT

Over 11,148 sq m (120,000 sq ft) of prime industrial and distribution accommodation has just been released to the North West market.

Developer Helios City, in partnership with CBRE Investors, has completed phase one of Buckshaw Link in Chorley and is pressing ahead with phase two which is expected to complete in May. The second phase will comprise 9,755 sq m (105,000 sq ft) and will be ready for occupation in June.

At 20,903 sq m (225,000 sq ft) over six hectares (15 acres), Buckshaw Link forms part of the award winning Buckshaw Village project which incorporates a wide range of leisure and sporting facilities as well as providing a considerable labour pool. Set within a low density environment, the development’s proximity to the motorway network - a mile from junction 8 of the M61 and junction 28 of the M6 - and a proposed new railway station serving Preston and Manchester puts the site within reach of a large catchment area.

“The accommodation on offer at Buckshaw Link provides would be occupiers with first class premises and a wide range of amenities close by. The units on phase one range from 596 sq m to 3,380 sq m (6,417 sq ft to 36,382 sq ft), delivering a choice of floorplates and bringing highly sought after accommodation to the growing North West market”, said Daniel Burn, senior associate at King Sturge, joint agent on the scheme with Bailey Deakin Hamilton.

Ross Dixon, property and development manager at Helios City, added: “A great deal of consideration has gone into this scheme and the result is an outstanding development which complements its surroundings. Neighbouring occupiers include Wolseley UK and Multipart, as well as a district centre, and we have outline planning for hotel, pub and car showroom, so any company moving here would benefit from all the facilities associated with an established area.”