Leading property consultant, CB Richard Ellis (Scotland), acting for Aberdeen-based John Wood Group PLC, has announced the identity of the developer selected from a shortlist from whom Wood Group will pre-let 150,000 ft2 in Aberdeen.

CB Richard Ellis advised John Wood Group PLC (“Wood Group”), which currently occupies John Wood House in Tullis, Aberdeen, throughout their search for new accommodation. The firm will relocate to its new offices, which will be built by Miller Cromdale (a joint venture between Miller Developments and Cromdale) in late 2009.

Of the 194,000 ft2 development, Wood Group will take 149,000 ft2 of the building, which will be named Wood Group House. The new building, designed to Wood Group’s specification, will offer approximately 1,200 employees modern and appropriate office space and will confirm Aberdeen as the headquarters for its Eastern Hemisphere operations.

Three developers were shortlisted following an invitation to submit proposals and Miller Cromdale was selected as the preferred developer. The new office building is part of the ongoing regeneration of the harbour area and is the fourth development undertaken in this part of the city by Miller Cromdale.

Stewart Taylor, Director (Business Space) at CB Richard Ellis commented “A letting of this scale is rare in the Scottish market and is the result of a testing analysis of the options available to Wood Group. The relocation provides them with a much improved working environment and will allow them consolidate a number of existing properties that they currently occupy in Aberdeen.
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“The Aberdeen office market is particularly buoyant at the moment and this is being driven to a large extent by firms such as John Wood Group looking to improve the quality of space that they occupy.

Allister Langlands, Chief Executive of John Wood Group, said: This is an important milestone in the evolution of the Group with significant benefits for both our customers and employees. This move will better accommodate our workforce in the North Sea and provide additional capacity to support our growing activities in the Eastern Hemisphere. The riverside site we have selected is well served by public transport and we have also incorporated all the latest thinking in terms of design technology that helps us reduce our impact on the environment. The new office is an important step in consolidating our objective of being an Employer of Choice.”

Pamela Grant, Director, Miller Cromdale, said: “We are delighted that the Wood Group has secured new office space within our latest development and we are confident of the 60,000 sq ft speculative element that we will undertake. This pre-let reinforces our confidence in the Aberdeen market and the need in the city for quality office space.

“The Aberdeen harbour area is undergoing an exciting and dynamic transformation. The major retail and leisure development of Union Square will extend as far as the harbour, with improved transport links helping to incorporate the port into the city centre. Our new office development is part of that whole process.”

CB Richard Ellis’ Building Consultancy team worked closely with Wood Group throughout the selection process including preparation of the initial development specification and assessment of their spatial and operational requirements.