Planning permission granted for £60m Arednt house development

Aberdeen City Council has today, 28 August, approved a detailed planning application submitted by Miller Cromdale, the joint venture partnership between Miller Developments and Aberdeen-based developer Cromdale Ltd, for its latest office development, Ardent House.

International energy services company, The John Wood Group PLC (Wood Group) will lease 150,000 sq ft of grade-A office accommodation within the 222,000 sq ft development set on a two-acre site at Aberdeen harbour close to the city centre.

Aberdeen City Council planning department was complimentary about Miller Cromdale’s regeneration of the North Dee area and of the quality of its previous developments.  The Council see Wood Group, a highly successful home grown company, wishing to locate its new HQ in the city centre, as a huge boost for the city.

Start on site is scheduled for early 2009 with completion expected in autumn 2010.

Ardent House will be Miller Cromdale's fifth development in the area following on from Bridgeview, Admiral Court, Consort House and Freedom House, a 30,000 sq ft speculative scheme currently under construction and available to let through Young & Co.
 
Miller Cromdale has developed a total of 235,000 sq ft over the last seven years and, with the strong support of Aberdeen Harbour Board, has been responsible for the regeneration of this area.
 
The Union Square development, which is currently under construction, will have a pedestrian link to the area, ensuring Ardent House and Miller Cromdale's surrounding office developments are fully connected to the city centre and only minutes walk away from the train and bus stations.

Pamela Grant, Director, Miller Developments, said: “We are delighted with today’s decision from Aberdeen City Council. The office market in Aberdeen remains buoyant and we are confident in undertaking the 28,000 sq ft within the North Wing speculatively and are looking to pre-let the West Wing.”

Martin Callan, Director, Cromdale Ltd, said: “We have worked very closely with the City planners and Aberdeen Harbour Board and look forward to getting on site for this landmark development early next year.”

The Wood Group will relocate from its current office in John Wood House in Tullos, its home for the past 20 years, and the move will enable the company to consolidate a number of its existing properties in the city.

Notes to editors:

Miller Cromdale is a joint venture partnership between Miller Developments and Aberdeen based developer Cromdale Ltd. Miller Cromdale has been active in Aberdeen for over seven years and projects undertaken during that time include:

•the redevelopment and sale of Johnstone House, 51,000 sq ft of office accommodation

•the redevelopment of Bridge View, a prominent 84,000 sq ft office building

•the development of Admiral Court, 38,000 sq ft of office accommodation

•the development and sale of Consort House, 78,000 sq ft office building

Miller Cromdale also acquired Riverside Business Park, Aberdeen, for £2.54 million from ING Real Estate. Riverside Business Park, located on North Espalande West, totals 18,439 sq ft and includes a two-storey office pavilion and two blocks of industrial units comprising 17 separate units. The business park is fully let.

For further information please contact:

Lesley McIvor / Kerry Davidson 
Tel: 01324 602 550
lesley.mcivor@beattiegroup.com / kerry.davidson@beattiegroup.com