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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
David Laister

Value to Hull of £16m Arco head office build underlined with regional award win

The importance of Arco’s new headquarters to Hull has been recognised as a major regional award was won.

Wykeland Beal, the city-formed regeneration partnership behind the rejuvenated Fruit Market that is now the safety giant’s home, scooped Best Office Deal at Yorkshire’s Commercial Real Estate Awards 2022.

It is the latest in a series of accolades for the spectacular transformation of the waterfront area.

Read more: Ashcourt Group buys former Hull gas works site in £5.25m deal

At 60,000 sq ft, split across five floors, Arco’s £16 million new headquarters is the biggest new build office development for a single user in the city in more than half a century.

It has been described as providing an inspirational working environment for around 600 employees.

Open plan: A roof-top terrace features as part of Arco's head office. (Hull News & Picture)
Soft spot: Alternative areas to the traditional office. (Hull News & Picture)

Dominic Gibbons, managing director of Wykeland Group, part of the Fruit Market team with Beal Homes and Hull City Council, said: “We’re delighted with this latest award.

“The development of Arco’s new head office and the multi-storey car park marked a major

milestone in this long-term regeneration project, which is key to the long-term sustainability of Hull city centre.

“Arco now has a state-of-the-art working environment, perfect for the digital age and for retaining and recruiting talent. The development also has exceptional sustainability credentials, as it features the latest in smart energy-saving technology, EV charging points and over 50 cycle spaces, as well as a green ‘living wall’ to enhance biodiversity.”

Collecting the award, from left, event host Martin Bayfield; Wykeland development director Jonathan Stubbs; Arco divisional director, logistics, Neil Griffiths; Graham Group development director, Sue Blanche and Wykeland managing director Dominic Gibbons. (Tim Hardy Photography)

Held for the first time and hosted by former England rugby union international Martin Bayfield, “The Yorkshires” celebrate the very best of the region’s commercial property sector. It was organised by Yorkshire Children’s Charity, and raised almost £300,000 for the disadvantaged.

The Best Office Deal accolade recognises a development which has made a real impact on the Yorkshire property landscape. The Arco scheme was named as the winner ahead of the LabCorp Centre of Excellence in Leeds.

As developers of the wider £80 million scheme, Wykeland Beal worked closely with Arco to deliver the project - delivering a contemporary look and feel, with social meeting areas, a glass fronted atrium and an auditorium for staff and customer presentations.

It was designed to enhance the existing environment and blend with neighbouring buildings, including the neighbouring @TheDock tech campus with its Centre for Digital Innovation.

Richard Beal, chief executive at Beal Homes, said: “The development of Arco’s new head office secured the future in Hull of one of the region’s major employers and represented a major vote of confidence in the city.

“It has also been an exceptional example of partnership working with three local, family-owned businesses coming together to deliver one of Hull’s most prestigious developments in generations.”

David Evison, managing director of Arco, said: “Investing in our new building has future-proofed our office in the centre of Hull and reinforces our long-standing commitment to support the community in which we work. This significant investment is just one of a series of commitments that we have made to support the city of Hull.

“The new workspace has been really well received and provides an excellent facility to allow colleagues to collaborate and enjoy a fantastic environment. It also supports new ways of working following the pandemic.”

Keep up-to-date with all the latest developments - follow BusinessLive Humber on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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