News
Remarkable office refurbishment in Basingstoke
Thursday March 24th, 2022
Work is due to start this year on one of the region’s most remarkable office refurbishment projects.
Grade ll-listed Mountbatten House, a 160,000 sq ft 1970s building in Basing View, Basingstoke, was acquired this year by a joint venture between Mactaggart Family & Partners and Longstock Capital.
Now the team is being assembled to turn the office complex, famous for its James Russell-designed multi-level gardens, into a modern multi-let, energy-efficient building with a focus on wellness.
The Arup-designed development was acquired by Squarestone Growth in 2017 which took it through the planning process for regeneration before it was sold to Regional REIT as part of a portfolio.
Former managing director of Squarestone Growth, Hugo Denée said: “What we’ve got is something quite unique. It’s built of 7.5 metre x 7.5 metre coffers. Not only does it look interesting, it’s also very flexible. It’s divisible by those coffer units.
“For a building from the 1970s it’s amazingly futureproof and there’s a huge amount of green space. It ticks all the boxes modern occupiers want.”
He says the five-storey building, originally occupied by paper merchant Wiggins Teape, will be the best on the M3 corridor once refurbishment is complete in January 2024 and will appeal both to Basingstoke occupiers, and those further afield.
Reception will be located on the third floor and amenities will be on that level along with access to the main garden.
One of the lower floors benefits from considerable daylight. Currently housing the disused plant room, it will become co-working space.
A former canteen, which has a double height ceiling, will be converted into office space with a mezzanine floor.
Its hanging gardens are a major attraction for the building, both in terms of its green and its wellness credentials. Mr Denée believes the building was ahead of its time in the 1970s and adapts well to modern requirements.
Source: UK Property Forums. Read the full story here.
