Commercial Property Development

Providing warehouse and office buildings for industry and commerce

Stoford to Build New Business Centre for Severn Trent

Birmingham-based Stoford Developments is to design and build a new 170,000 sq ft business centre for Severn Trent Water in Coventry.

The seven-storey building will bring together 1,700 staff to work to the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness under one roof as well as reinforce the ‘green’ credentials of the UK’s second largest water company.

Due to open in early 2010, the office element of the new building will be supported by a £6.5 million grant from regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.

Designed to achieve an “excellent” Breeam rating and to meet all legislative requirements and sustainability criteria, the new business centre will be built on a prime site identified by Stoford adjacent to the city ring road in St John's Street.

Severn Trent Water chief executive Tony Wray said: “This is an exciting opportunity to bring many of our south Midlands functions to one modern specially designed business centre – and in doing so will contribute to the city’s ongoing economic development.”

Stoford director David Brown said: “We are delighted to be working with Severn Trent Water on their new Coventry business centre. This is a significant regeneration project for the city and one that is fully supported by Coventry City Council and Advantage West Midlands.”

Phil Roberts, development team leader for Advantage West Midlands said: “The project shows the confidence that investors have not just in Coventry but in the superb infrastructure and skilled workforce of the entire region that makes it such a great place for a company base.

Coventry Council leader Cllr Ken Taylor said: “We’ve been talking about transforming Coventry for several years but now it’s really happening. These are very exciting times for us and I’m delighted that the Council is leading the way.”

Stoford has been a major force in the regeneration of Coventry having already been responsible for the TUI headquarters and the Camping and Caravanning Club at Westwood Business Park and the Inland Revenue offices in the city centre.