Member Article

Landwood Group sells ex-Woolworth depot in Rochdale

The Landwood Group, the leading northern chartered surveyors, asset managers and auctioneers, have sold a former Woolworth’s distribution depot in Rochdale to a client of Manchester-based developer Pin Properties for an undisclosed sum.

The Leeds and Manchester offices of the Landwood Group had been appointed to asset manage and dispose of the part-derelict site on behalf of the Official Receiver.

The 18.3 acre site, located on the south east outskirts of Rochdale, close to the centre of Castleton and near to Junction 20 of the M62, had fallen into disrepair after the collapse of Woolworth. It was partly occupied by a number of logistics companies.

Simon Dove, associate with the Landwood Group in Leeds, explained: “After we had been appointed in December 2013, we embarked on a comprehensive marketing campaign to ensure that we got the best possible deal for the site.

“There was strong interest in the site from the outset, thanks primarily to its location. We considered all prospective buyers and drafted a scheme for over 300 dwellings that had strong interest from a number of major national house builders.

“Following this lengthy marketing period, we had a number of keen buyers with variety of uses in mind. The Manchester-based developer Pin Properties ultimately purchased the site unconditionally for an undisclosed sum for a client,” added Mr Dove.

Meanwhile the Landwood Group has been appointed to sell one of the most prominent office buildings by the M20 in Cheriton, near Folkestone. It will be disposing of the former Eurotunnel Exhibition Centre, which had one of the tunnelling machines displayed high above the motorway for many years.

Offers are invited in excess of £2.75m subject to contract for the freehold with vacant possession. The exhibition centre is now surplus to the requirements of the current owners, Loveworld Conference Centre.

The two-storey building comprises 29,000 sq ft of quality office space, with parking for 169 cars on a large 10-acre site which benefits from excellent access to London and its Orbital Motorway, the M20 and into Europe via Eurotunnel or Channel ports. It has been allocated for office and business space development.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .