This move will halve Irwell Valley’s office footprint allowing it to deliver a range of benefits to its customers and staff.
The Soapworks overlooks the River Irwell in Salford Quays.
The Soapworks is a former Colgate-Palmolive soap factory. It was converted to offices in 2014 and is now home to around 2,000 office workers employed by the Home Office, TalkTalk Telecom and MWH Global.
Irwell Valley’s new 10,000 sq.ft. office suite on the first floor of Block B. Fitting out should complete in May 2019.
When we were commissioned to search for a new ‘agile’ hub for Irwell Valley’s office staff, I soon realised that we needed a building with a rare mix of qualities. I think it is fair to say that what we have ended up with satisfies all those requirements better than I ever imagined it could.
The Soapworks occupies a unique location. Situated just a mile and a half west of Manchester’s expanding city centre, the development is within an easy commute by bike along the canal towpath. For those travelling by car, it offers easy access to and from the regional motorways via the nearby M602. If you are reliant on public transport, there is a tram stop and major bus routes within 100 metres.
But it wasn’t just the accessibility of the site that made it so compelling. The industrial character of these former production buildings gave it a unique twist. Irwell Valley is a social housing developer that operates in an urban environment. Regeneration and re-purposing therefore lies at the core of its identity.
At the same time, the contemporary feel and advanced technical specification of the development provides an ideal platform on which Irwell Valley can build its ‘agile’ or ‘activity-based’ working concept.
Finally, the fact that the development fronts the River Irwell gives this location added relevance to an organisation that takes its’ heritage and community responsibilities seriously.
Around 200 employees who are currently based in Bolton, Worsley and Old Trafford will move into the new facility in June 2019. It will be fascinating to see if agile working delivers all that the organisation hopes it will. In my view, the Soapworks should certainly improve the chances of that happening.
If you would like advice on an office relocation either in Manchester or elsewhere in the UK, please call Martyn Markland on 0161 457 1422 or email him at mm@tenantag.co.uk.