Some see buildings.
We see potential.

Where some see buildings, we see opportunity. With decades of experience turning bricks, mortar, concrete and glass into valuable assets, our specialist consultants apply vision and commercial insight to project management. Read on to hear how our approach drove the success of two landmark works. To understand how we can help you meet new opportunities, please get in touch.

Boosting retail performance

Stevenage’s Roaring Meg retail and leisure park was entering a new phase of its development at a time when retailer fortunes were changing too. We were brought into advise and project manage works to two large units which were nearing the end of their design lives. Debenhams was also considering a new store at the park.

We were brought into consultation with the Client, Aberdeen Standard Investments, other advisors and prospective tenants. Together, we assessed the opportunities for the site and recommended a course of action for replacing the units to meet the owner’s and tenants’ business requirements.

The deal we helped structure was a two-stage demolition and creation of four new units, including a new plaza through the middle of the site for leisure and events staging.

Two of the three more compact units were filled by incoming retailers, and existing tenants downsized to take the third – gaining performance benefits from the more efficient store space.

The fourth large unit was a bespoke development for Debenhams, and the retailer worked with us to achieve a striking, unconventional design for their store, including a bespoke and award-winning interior. As Debenhams looks to refit more of their stores, Roaring Meg remains the best-performing example of their new strategy in action.

To complement the new units, we remodelled the retail park’s central plaza. We not only brought the design up to date but also installed power supplies and laid out the space in a flexible format for events, shows and other attractions which would elevate the retail experience with a sense of place for its visitors, to encourage dwell time beyond shopping alone.

Ultimately we were able to take a poorly performing retail park and undertake an ambitious multi-phased project, to secure good covenant tenants and to create a highly performing asset.

Challenging the brief for new opportunity

Wellington House initially came to TFT as a simple refurbishment project. The building was dated and unappealing with outgoing tenants and poor  sustainable credentials and the initial brief was to undertake an economic refurbishment to enable the building to be put back to the market as secondary office accommodation.

However, we identified a means of turning this 11,500 sq ft scheme into a more valuable proposition. We analysed the building’s L-shaped floor plan and identified the scope to build a lateral extension to the side, with an additional floor on top, to boost the total internal area by an additional 150%.

With our market knowledge of the region, we were able to demonstrate the benefits of pursuing this approach, working with the Client to shape the concept and plan a different scope of work.

We then secured planning permission on behalf of our Client, before overseeing effective re-development of the site. We stripped the building back to the frame and re-clad it externally, while internal remodelling provided a more sustainable and efficient BCO-compliant office block.

The project was extremely challenging logistically with existing retail tenants remaining in place, plus adjacent residential and school buildings, all requiring careful demolition and construction practices.

To achieve planning approval for this “gateway to Wimbledon” building, a level of detail and articulation had to be carried out to the external elevations. The result is a beautiful high performing asset.