Skypark Announces Contractor For O2’s New Home

Allied London has appointed Mowlem as the contractor to redevelop SP6 and SP4 at Skypark, Glasgow’s landmark business complex. The new three-storey state of the art office building will become the Scottish base to mobile services giant O2.

Mowlem, one of the UK’s leading construction and support services groups has commenced the first phase of the new build due to be ready by November for O2, with the whole project due for completion by June 2006.

The redevelopment is estimated to cost circa £14 million and will create 110,000 sq ft of training and contact centre space for O2. Internally the accommodation will offer all the technical specifications expected of a premium commercial property development and with the creation of central atrium, light and ventilation will permeate all floors. Externally the property will take on the cladding and high specification finish of the existing Skypark Tower.

Pam Over, Asset Manager for Skypark, says:

“We are delighted to announce Mowlem as the contractors for SP4. We have an excellent working relationship with them and the commencement of this project is the next phase in a significant overhaul of the Skypark complex. The project team has been working with O2 to deliver a top quality working environment. Work started on site at the beginning of May and we are looking forward to O2’s call centre opening in November.”

Notes to Editors

1. Skypark
Skypark is located immediately west of Glasgow city centre, in the Finnieston business development area, close to the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre and the world famous “Armadillo”. A substantial landmark property, it stands on a 2.5 hectare (6 acre) site bounded by Elliot Street, Houldsworth Street, Finnieston Street and the Clydeside Expressway (the latter providing direct access to the M8 motorway).

Skypark started life as the Clydeway Industrial Centre, comprising 46,450 sq m (500,000 sq ft) of flatted (multi-storey) industrial accommodation within two six and eight storey buildings. It was acquired by Allied London Properties in 1994. Since that time, the company has set about a phased redevelopment/refurbishment, which has transformed it into a modern, self contained, high rise business park, comprising of six buildings of multi-tenanted, highly specified, new and upgraded office, call centre and work space.

Ryden and Montagu Evans are joint letting agents and CKD Galbraith is asset manager.

2. Allied London Properties
Allied London - a major UK property company, owned by Deutsche Bank, JER Partners and management - has substantial investment and development projects in the UK’s principal cities including London, Manchester and Glasgow.

Allied London specialises in complex town and city centre mixed-use and retail redevelopment schemes creating stunning projects based on principles of sustainable development, architectural excellence and efficient and economic deliverability. Working with both private and public sectors, it delivers original projects that combine creative vision with commercial rigour. A focused yet innovative approach is applied to each location with the ultimate goal of creating value. This is achieved by repositioning a site through imaginative development and redevelopment, or through state-of-the-art refurbishment and change of use. All the company’s schemes - as well as its own business philosophy - reflect the growing demands on cities to be dynamic, modern and sustainable environments.

At present, the company currently has over 278,000 sq m (3 million sq ft) of real estate under ownership or management. Current development projects amount to in excess of 453,000 sq m (4.9 million sq ft), comprising office, retail, residential and leisure uses including London – 14,399 sq m (155,000 sq ft), Manchester – 418,050 sq m (4.5 million sq ft) and Glasgow – 51,095 sq m (550,000 sq ft).

Mowlem plc
Mowlem plc is a leading international provider of construction and support services, with an annual turnover in excess of £2bn and over 26,000 employees worldwide operating through eight principal business units:

Mowlem Building Mowlem Asset Services
Mowlem Engineering Mowlem Projects
Mowlem Infrastructure Mowlem Environmental Sciences Group
Mowlem Managed Services Mowlem International

Established in 1822, Mowlem plc has evolved from being purely a construction contractor to become a market leading construction and support services group, able to deliver a unique range of capabilities to public and private sector customers across a comprehensive range of market sectors.

For further information, please visit www.mowlem.com

For further information please contact

Jen Shinwell
Indigo (PR) Ltd
Tel 0131 554 1230