New architectural design firm moves to Rural Innovation Centre

(left to right): Clare McKechan and Dean Ellis (both ESP Design), Liz Burkinshaw (Rural Innovation Centre) and Marc Powell (ESP Design).

A new architectural design company has moved to a base in Warwickshire after winning a host of new contracts from national developers.

ESP Design was formed in July 2015 and has moved into the Rural Innovation Centre at Stoneleigh Park.

The company has already won contracts from major national housing developers including Redrow, Leadbitter, McCarthy & Stone and Bellway as well as securing work on smaller projects and with private clients.

The practice’s directors Marc Powell, Dean Ellis and Clare McKechan have over 20 years’ experience working in the construction industry.

Marc, who lives in Warwick, said: “Since starting the company it has grown very quickly with commissions for large-scale residential schemes for national developers, smaller developments of less than 20 homes and commercial projects including most recently a new vehicle depot in Redditch.

“However, we’re also able to use our expertise to take on smaller projects for private clients such as extensions and loft conversions.

“As a company we pride ourselves on providing a professional, creative, efficient and friendly service to clients of all sizes.”

Marc previously worked in the Leamington office of CHBC Architects before setting up his own practice with Dean Ellis in 2011.

Dean worked for an architectural consultancy in Lincolnshire for 13 years, where he worked on commercial projects including the redevelopment of Myerscough College before teaming up with Marc.

Clare worked at CHBC Architects for 18 years as operations director overseeing the company’s three offices where she managed relationships with major national developers.

In addition to the three directors, the company has also taken on two architectural technicians to help deliver the range of projects the practice is currently working on.

Marc said the location of their new base was important and he was very impressed by the offices at the Rural Innovation Centre on Stoneleigh Park.

He said: “We were very keen to have a base in the region as many of our key contacts are located here. The offices we’ve moved into are fantastic and the move was very easy – we really just needed to plug in our computers and phones and we were up and running!

“The focus for us now is to expand our client base for commercial and private projects. The recent growth in the economy means there is lots of work out there and hopefully we can quickly establish ourselves as an architectural design practice.”

The Rural Innovation Centre is part of the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network, funded by DEFRA and led by Warwickshire County Council on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

The building was refurbished by LaSalle Investment Management as part of its on-going transformation of Stoneleigh Park and an additional 19 serviced offices will open in June.

Liz Burkinshaw, manager of the Rural Innovation Centre, said: “The Rural Innovation Centre was established to enable small and new businesses to grow and flourish by providing professional serviced offices in a supportive and flexible environment.

“ESP Design is a very new company which as a result of quick growth needed its first base. I’m delighted that the centre is able to provide a space for them to realise their ambitions and I look forward to supporting the business as it grows.”