Some 80 homes are set to be built on the site of a former council HQ building on the outskirts of Swansea with Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) acting as marketing agents and negotiating the terms of the sale on behalf of the City and County of Swansea.
The national commercial property consultancy advised the Council upon exchange of conditional contracts with Enzo Developments on a 14.58 acre site in Penllergare, near Junction 47 of the M4 which incorporates a 68,485 sq ft three-storey office building.
LSH was instructed by Swansea Council in 2014 as sole agents for the disposal of the former Civic Centre site as part of the council’s wider office accommodation strategy where it looked to dispose of properties to help tackle a major budget deficit.
The deal with the Carmarthenshire-based regional housebuilder Enzo Developments follows a focused marketing campaign; over an 18 month period bids were invited on the open market from interested parties followed by detailed negotiations with a range of national housebuilders before terms for a deal were finalised with Enzo Developments.
“This a prime site on the outskirts of the city alongside beautiful woodland and with superb road links into Swansea and very close to the M4 so we weren’t surprised by the strong interest we received from a number of well-respected developers,” says Tom Rees of LSH’s agency team.
“Following a review of the detail and nature of the bids, we narrowed them down to four then after careful consideration made the recommendation that Enzo’s Homes represented the best value in terms of the price, quality of build and scale of the scheme being proposed.”
Enzo Developments have plans for 80 homes which will provide housing for hundreds of people in an area where there is currently a shortage of accommodation. Says Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader: “We’re delighted to have exchanged contracts to sell the site to Enzo Developments – a local housing developer based right here in South West Wales.
“Subject to planning permission, the scheme is the latest example of the great work the council is doing to secure best value for land and property, with money being reinvested back into services for the benefit of residents across the city.”
Enzo Sauro, of Enzo Developments, said: “We were interested in the Penllergare Civic Centre site because it represents an exciting development opportunity, so it’s very pleasing that we’ve now been able to exchange contracts with Swansea Council. The working relationship with the council has been very positive from the outset.”
The conditional sale of the Penllergare site follows LSH’s disposals in Cardiff of some 20 acres in Llandaff for the BBC and 17 acres at Culverhouse Cross for ITV.
As part of the agreement, Swansea Council will also gift three parcels of land to the Penllergare Trust, an organisation that manages the adjoining Penllergare Valley Woods.
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration, said: “It’s hugely encouraging that we’ve reached a deal that will regenerate the Penllergaer Civic Centre site, while benefitting residents and boosting a much-loved local beauty spot at the same time.”
Council staff previously based at the building have all been relocated as part of the council’s office accommodation strategy. Enzo Developments will now take over responsibility for the site as well, also helping save the council money.
The Penllergaer Civic Centre building was first opened in 1982 for the former Lliw Valley Borough Council.