Oil firm Fairfield Energy is to relocate its headquarters from Dyce, in Aberdeen, to Arnhall Business Park at Westhill after signing a lease with Gladman Developments.
Fairfield and its 120-strong north-east workforce, including contractors and others, are moving into a 25,000sqft three-storey pavilion, the largest unit in phase two of the Abercrombie Court development, in a 10-year deal.
The new building, which has room for 180 workers, will – from late summer – replace Fairfield’s four pavilions at Dyce. Brian Brown, the firm’s contracts manager, said: “It allows us to accommodate all our Aberdeen personnel in a single facility and still have additional space for our planned business growth.”
Dan Smith, associate at property specialist F.G. Burnett, which acted for Cheshire-based Gladman , said: “The high quality grade A office accommodation at Abercrombie Court is ideally suited to a progressive, entrepreneurial company like Fairfield.
“This will only increase the already high level of interest being shown in the remaining units.”
Phase two of Abercrombie Court is due to complete in the first quarter of this year and, according to F.G. Burnett, demand has been strong. The firm said that of 13 buildings already in place, 10 had already been let or sold and a further five units still to be completed had attracted good interest.
F.G. Burnett added the development had proved popular with occupiers and investors due to the varied building sizes. Phase two deals include sales to Northern Marine Manning Services, Aberdeenshire Housing Partnership, IT Hotdesk and Plan-IT Sytems, while lettings have been signed with Sharecat Solutions, Axis Well Technology, Cala and GSP Offshore.
Rents of between £17.50 and £18.50 per sqft are being achieved and VP sales are attracting in the region of £200 per sqft.
Gladman development manager Susan Pegg said the “location, design and specification of our product” were key factors in attracting Fairfield to Abercrombie Court. Fairfield, which was represented in the deal by Ryden, was established in 2005. It has a growing portfolio of North Sea oil and gas interests, including the Dunlin, Merlin and Osprey fields.