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Meggitt operated from a number of dated manufacturing properties within Birmingham and Coventry and was looking to consolidate and develop a Centre of Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence and Global Headquarters and be operational by end 2019 (36 months).
To work alongside Meggitt’s Group Property and Finance teams to help them develop their requirements for a new Super Factory, identify suitable properties/ locations and negotiate suitable lease terms to enable the facility to be developed and operational before end 2019.
We started working with the client in developing an initial high level scope of their requirements, which would subsequently be fine-tuned as the project and negotiations progressed.
We carried out a confidential search of suitable properties/ development sites within a 30 minute drive of Coventry to sit alongside a comparison of “On-Site v Relocation” options.
Having identified Prospero Ansty as the preferred option we then entered a period of extended negotiations that included shifting from leasehold to freehold terms and the changing the Masterplan application into a hybrid planning application including Meggitt’s 490,000 sq ft Super Factory. We then supported Meggitt; firstly in the negotiations and selection of a suitable funding partner through a sale and leaseback for 30 year and secondly in structuring the separate construction contracts to enable the client to benefit from capital allowances.
We supported the client and their lawyers throughout the complex legal due diligence involving five major stakeholders and their advisors.
Whilst the brief was to secure a leasehold interest Realest identified the opportunity to simultaneously agree freehold terms with the developer and an onward sale and leaseback with a funding partner. The result being a substantial reverse premium paid to Meggitt. A proactive solution led approach, teamwork and the range of skills across the three Realest directors enabled the deal to be structured in a way that had all phases of the project progressing simultaneously and keeping the project to programme.
Realest – David Ferriman, Stuart Cook, Steven Williams, Robert Haynes
Meggitt – Jonathan Jones
Legal – Andrew Bennett – Gowlings
Meggitt
CRE
Agency / Development, Investment, Development Monitoring
Manufacturing
This was a complex acquisition with multiple stakeholders to manage, our time line was tight and we had to adopt innovative ways to achieve a design build and lease back vehicle to meet our goals, Realest formed an integral part of the acquisition team and drawing on their extensive knowledge and negotiation skills were key to the success of the project to this stage.
Property Marketing Specialists