Ashalls Delivering Quality Projects to Meet Local Needs

Ashalls has been developing property for nearly a century. 

The business began in the 1930s building houses and has evolved to become the award-winning commercial property developer it is today, delivering projects with an investment value of more than £500m in recent years.

These projects include the Centre Square Grade A offices scheme in Middlesbrough, a number of internationally branded hotels and – working with another developer – Cobalt Business Park in North Tyneside, the UK’s largest office park. 

But while the focus of the business has changed over time, the main elements of Ashall’s methods remain the same. 

“The starting point for us for any potential project is to develop an understanding of the local markets in which we are looking to operate,” said Mark Ashall, Managing Director of Projects and grandson of the business’ founder.

“While many towns and cities share a number of characteristics no two locations are the same and it is important that each development takes account of these differences and local requirements.”

He added: “This process invariably comprises a combination of formal research and spending time in the market talking to the local council, local agents and other key stakeholders.”

This strategy was exemplified in the business’ most recent major project.  The development of the original Centre Square concept grew through a series of discussions with Middlesbrough Council and commercial property agents working in the Tees Valley. 

They had identified that it had become increasingly difficult to both attract new employers to the town as well as preventing existing occupiers from moving elsewhere.  Both groups were vital to the local economy, with they and their staff providing essential footfall and spend to support local businesses.  It was apparent that this could only be addressed by providing new or additional Grade A office space. 

Having pinpointed a need, the second factor in any Ashall development is the delivery of a consistently high quality product which is designed, built and equipped to match requirements.

Mark said it is no secret that lower investment valuations in the North of England have made property development a challenge in recent years. Rents here are lower than in major cities in other parts of the country, resulting in smaller construction budgets.

Despite this he stressed the importance of Northern businesses offering an attractive working environment. It is key to recruiting and retaining staff whose contribution and productivity are central to the success of any business. 

“As a result, when designing our buildings we work closely with our professional team to deliver the light and airy spaces which people working in offices understandably require, while also incorporating sustainable and energy efficient features which reduce running costs for employers as well as lessening the environmental impact. 

“Achieving this when budgets are tight is difficult - and normally involves a great deal of value engineering - but the results at Centre Square speak for themselves.”

Despite the disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic, there are now more than 1,500 staff working in the three new Centre Square buildings.  The development has attracted high profile businesses such as the insurance giant AXA UK, GB Bank – which has established its head office there – and Firstsource, the global business process solutions company. Its decision to move to Centre Square marked the biggest letting in Middlesbrough in a quarter of a century. 

As well as making sure it understands the local market and delivering a high quality product, the third key element in Ashall’s approach is to build partnerships.   

“Each development has a myriad of different aspects including concept development, design, delivery and funding. Our experience is that working with partners who can add the most value in each area is key.  As a result all of our projects are delivered through collaborations with a large number of specialist partners and stakeholders,” said Mr Ashall.

But it does not stop there.  As a company proud of its Northern roots, Ashall’s looks for ways in each project to contribute to communities and deliver social value every step of the way. 

This starts during the public consultation stage of the planning process and comes to fruition through the construction phase where Mr Ashall’s team works with its supply chain to ensure that as much as possible of the contract spend benefits the local area. 

In the case of Centre Square that meant that 90% of the sub-contractors were based in the region and two-thirds of them were located within 30 miles of the site.  Their contracts were worth more than £10m.  

The commitment to the local community does not end when the building is finished and the keys are handed over. 

The Holiday Inn Express hotels in Barrow-in-Furness and Middlesbrough provide perfect examples.  The ambition in both places was to create a welcoming place to stay, but beyond that it has been all about building relationships with local people and helping each town centre succeed and thrive. 

Initial recruitment saw 90% of the staff at the hotels come from the area and they have been able to use their local knowledge, contacts and commitment to benefit their communities. 

Earlier this year, for instance, the Barrow hotel won the title of Community Focused Business in the Love Barrow Awards and across the country the Middlesbrough team has been recognised for its work with Project Choice which provides mentorship and supported internships for young adults with learning disabilities.

Ashall Projects is always looking for new opportunities to work with partners to deliver projects to meet local requirements. 

Contact Mark Ashall at mark.ashall@ashallproperty.com or 01928 280160.