News | By practice area

Friday 19th October 2001

SJ Berwin have acted for British Land in letting 375,000 sq ft of accommodation to Accenture at Plantation Place, one of the most significant pre-lets in the City this year. Accenture were advised by Field Fisher Waterhouse.

The letting covers offices and storage accommodation. The rent is £54 per sq ft for the offices and £15 per sq ft for the storage. Accenture also has the option to call for the remaining space in the building. Plantation Place will also provide some 26,500 sq ft of retail space.

Construction is expected to start immediately, with completion expected in the first half of 2004, coinciding with the expiration of a number of leases currently in the Accenture portfolio.

SJ Berwin partner Lewis Myers said, "I am delighted to have been involved in such a significant deal which clearly shows that confidence in the property market remains strong. The team and I worked hard to reach this successful conclusion in the required timescale. As with many of our transactions, a large number of specialists from around the firm were brought together to provide a seamless service to our client."

The team at SJ Berwin included partners Stephen Willson, Lewis Myers, Gillian Smith, Ian Insley (Construction) and Heather Corben (Tax) and assistant solicitors Helen Willett (Property), Martin Scott and Maria Harris (both Construction).

The Field Fisher Waterhouse team was lead by Martin Barrett and comprised Howard Coffell, Peter Hayes, Jayne Elkins, Lawrence Bruce (Construction), Nick Beecham (Tax) and assistant solicitors Claire Timmings and Chris King.

SJ Berwin have also acted for British Land recently in:-

• the acquisition of the Old Lloyds Building in Lime Street in the City of London.
• the acquisition of 22 Homebase stores from J Sainsbury plc valued at approximately £156 million.
• the acquisition of Caroone House, 14 Farringdon Street, EC4 from a consortium of overseas investors known as Woolaston Real Estate valued at £24.5, for development.
• the acquisition from the Stadium Group of a recently completed hotel and restaurant development, on a site adjoining the Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield which derived from the original acquisition of the centre by British Land in 1999.
• the property aspects of securitization of 35 Sainsbury supermarkets.
• the acquisition of Delta Park, Enfield for BL Gazeley

Field Fisher Waterhouse also recently acted for Accenture on:

• 
  Its acquisition of office space on all but one of the 135,000 sq ft former Binder Hamlyn building at 20 Old Bailey, London, EC4
• 
  Its acquisition of four floors at 60 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4