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Douglas Stevens & Company work with a number of the UK's major financial institutions and a variety of public and private development companies in relation to town centre and edge of town schemes.

Our roles in these projects frequently include site identification and assembly, acquisition, design advice, valuation, letting and funding.

Whilst the majority of the projects we have been involved with have a retail bias increasingly they have mixed use elements in accordance with local and central government planning policy guidelines. This often results in joint venture partnerships being entered into in relation to different elements of the schemes. Commercial and residential developers working in tandem on a project is now common place.

Over the past few years investment performance has been driven in no small part by yield shift - we believe future yield shift may not be so marked and therefore to ensure ongoing investment performance a more proactive approach will be needed. There is now a good deal of overlap between a "traditional development" and "asset management" where values can be enhanced by maximising the properties full financial potential by way of extensions, conversions or indeed tenant enhancement initiatives - areas in which Douglas Stevens & Co have longstanding expertise.

We list below a sample of the developments we have been involved with over the past decade which range from single shop "buy, let, sells" to complex mix use schemes.

Former County Hotel, Taunton This was a Grade II* listed coaching inn within Taunton town centre which had a large rear car park formerly stabling for over 100 horses. It is believed it was the location where Charles Wesley made his first public speech. Douglas Stevens & Company acquired the substantial property from Trust House Forte on behalf of Lombard Street Properties/Vickers Group Pension Scheme and planning consent was obtained for an 80,000 sq ft Marks & Spencer variety store and shop units for Waterstones, Virgin Records and Toni & Guy.
Hanley Over the past few years Douglas Stevens & Company have advised Highland Developments in relation to four separate schemes within the city centre, two of which were carried out in conjunction with Kilmartin Properties. Lettings have been concluded to a variety of multiple retailers including JD Sports, TK Maxx, Warren James, Greggs, Signet, The Works, Specsavers, Goldsmiths, Thomas Cook, Co-op Travel and many more.

Hanley and Moxon Island were subsequently sold to Threadneedle and two other developments on Parliament Row were sold to private investors.

Douglas Stevens & Company have subsequently acquired the former East West Centre on behalf of Highland Developments who are proposing a substantial new shopping centre development.

The Kingfisher Centre, Redditch This was one of our most extensive projects where we acquired this 1960s covered shopping centre on behalf of Thornfield/Lehman Brothers and then carried out a series of refurbishments and extensions which included stores for the likes of Debenhams, TJ Hughes, Wilkinsons, New Look, JJB, TK Maxx, HMV, Next, Sportsworld etc.

This scheme was subsequently sold in 2004 to Scottish Widows for a price reported to be in excess of £200 million.

The Priory Centre, Dartford We advised Dukeminster the owners of the Priory Centre in relation to the acquisition of an adjacent car showrooms on which we had agreed a prelet for a new foodstore with J Sainsbury. This substantial project also included the refurbishment of the Centre at which point new lettings were achieved to retailers such as Wilkinsons, Peacocks, Stylo, Greggs, 99p Stores etc
Sidwell Street, Exeter In conjunction with JLL and CWHB we advised Hammerson/SPG in relation to the purchase of a block of some 30 shop units fronting a proposed town centre development site. Design and valuation advice was given in relation to a comprehensive redevelopment which to date has not been enacted.
Broad Walk, Harlow We acquired on behalf of Deutsche Asset Management in the late 1990s a block of some 30 plus retail units within Harlow town centre which had redevelopment potential. However this become more of an asset management exercise and over the past five years we have concluded approximately 20 new lettings to multiple retailers for both Deutsche and the new owners Praedia Investments.
Castle House, Castle Street, Norwich We acquired this very substantial block of property within Norwich city centre on behalf of Highland from the Co-operative Insurance Society for approximately £4 million. A series of complex and lengthy negotiations were carried out with a number of the tenants within the block to secure vacant possession the final deal being struck with a man who had one room on the fifth floor and threatened to delay the whole project! Following a very substantial refurbishment/ remodelling the property was let to Virgin, Schuh, Envy, Maplin and Bass and sold to Hermes for in excess of £9 million.
Arding & Hobbs, Clapham Junction We acted on behalf of Britannic Assurance and Shearer Property Group in relation to the purchase of part of the famous Arding & Hobbs department store in south west London. The former carpet depository was sold on to Persimmon who are building a mixture of flats and upmarket town houses. Retail accommodation was prelet to J Sainsbury for a 30,000 sq ft store.
Packers Row, Chesterfield On behalf of CDP Limited we acquired this former Harveys showrooms and subdivided it into three retail units. Prelettings included Savers Health & Beauty and the shops were then sold off individually to take advantage of the strong private investor market place.
The former Talbot Hotel site, Bradford This derelict listed building had been largely vacant for 15 years within the heart of Bradford's primary retail core. We acquired it on behalf of Highland Developments and planning consent was obtained to convert a number of small shop units and the defunct hotel into two large retail units which were prelet to Superdrug and Orange. The investment was then sold to Prudential for a 6% yield.
The Cock Public House, East Ham On behalf of Bermac Properties we acquired this salubrious drinking establishment which was redeveloped and let to Barclays Bank and Burger King. We then acquired a further four shops on the High Street which were redeveloped to create large accommodation for the likes of Boots the Chemist and Bon Marche.
Crystal Peaks, Sheffield We have for a number of years advised Hermes in relation to their shopping centre south east of Sheffield city centre. As proactive landlords Hermes have carried out a number of developments/extensions including Crystal Peaks Retail Park which we let to TK Maxx, Boots, Argos, Mothercare, Carphone Warehouse and Pizza Hut. Other extensions to the Centre include the West Mall extension which was let to the likes of Wilkinsons, JJB Sports, Boots, Be-Wise and Clinton Cards.

Phase II/Market Hall refurbishment is currently under construction as is the East Mall extension which consists of an 89,000 sq ft Sainsbury superstore and 50,000 sq ft of large retail units.

5/19 High Street, Solihull We were asked by AXA REIM to give advice on the development potential of a block of shops they owned within the primary retail core of the town. Working alongside the project managers and architects we designed a two shop redevelopment which was prelet to the Portman Building Society and Maplin Electronics.
Dolphin & Anchor Hotel, West Street, Chichester On behalf of Wessex Land & Estates in conjunction with Stargas Nominees we acquired the hotel from Granada (Forte Heritage) at a competitive tender. We advised the clients on scheme design, valuation issues and lettability. Lettings were concluded to Waterstones, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Active Venture, Costa Coffee and. This former coaching inn was Grade II listed and extremely sensitive from a conservation point of view being directly opposite Chichester Cathedral.
23/24 High Street, Winchester On behalf of Highland Developments we acquired the former Abbey National Building Society branch and after refurbishment let it to Shoon Footwear and sold the investment on to Royal London Asset Management.
 The above gives a flavour of what we have done on the development front, with a number of ongoing projects both large and small including schemes in the likes of Nottingham, Henley, Walthamstow, Hitchin, Rugby, Chelmsford and Boston.

If you wish to discuss any of these projects in further detail or have property assets you feel are not fulfilling their full potential please do not hesitate to contact either Sean Prigmore or Jamie Simister