Ryden has made three senior promotions. Nick Armstrong based in the Investment team in Edinburgh and Eddie Fiddes who works in Aberdeen Property Management have both been made Partner. Mark Thom has been promoted to Associate within the Valuation, Lease Advisory & Rating team in Edinburgh. All three joined Ryden in the early stages of their property careers.

The promotions take Ryden’s total number of Partners to 43. The firm is predicted to hit fee targets at financial year end despite the difficult trading conditions of the past 12 months.

Nick has worked in the Edinburgh Investment team for over 10 years building strong relationships with clients. His most recent transactions include the purchase of Prestonfield Park Industrial Estate on behalf of Ribston and the purchase of 43-45 George Street on behalf of Thistle Property. Eddie has led Ryden’s Property Management team in Aberdeen since 2013 and has worked with local and national clients including Knight Property Group, GSS Developments, Gilcomston Investments and Freshwater Group. Mark began his career as a graduate in Aberdeen before relocating to Edinburgh where he provides valuation, rent review, lease restructuring and strategic advice for clients such as The Robertson Trust and Scotmid.

Dr Mark Robertson, Ryden Managing Partner, said: 

“Ryden has maintained a strong business focus during the extended periods of lockdown to ensure that we support our client-facing teams and sustain our market-leading positions. Our people work extremely hard for their clients and the promotions we have made are individuals who have built their career with us and reflect our appreciation of their dedication. Ryden is in a strong position to support clients through the next stage of the commercial property market cycle which is picking up pace in Q2.”

Muir Smith Evans, the niche Scottish planning consultancy practice set up by Brian Muir, Adrian Smith and Robert Evans, has agreed a merger with commercial property consultants Ryden.

The merged firms will operate under the Ryden name with the Muir Smith Evans team joining Ryden’s established planning departments in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The deal creates a market-leading planning and research consultancy team operating throughout Scotland with the potential to expand further across the UK.

Muir Smith Evans is best known for providing planning consultancy on large-scale, complex projects including a range of greenfield and brownfield commercial developments. The firm has delivered residential, student, commercial, retail, leisure, hotel and heritage projects across Scotland and the north of England.

This latest deal is the next step in Ryden’s strategy for growth. In the last 12 months Ryden has merged with Mason Philips to open an office in London and more recently opened an office in Manchester taking its total number of offices in England to three.

Bill Duguid, Ryden Managing Partner, said “This merger with the highly-respected planning consultancy Muir Smith Evans has brought a new depth to the expertise offered by our Planning and Research department. It is a significant boost to Ryden to welcome three new Partners with such an excellent track record in planning and development advice. We continue to seek opportunities for growth through mergers with practices whose client-focused culture matches our own.”

Bob Evans, Muir Smith Evans Partner, added “We are delighted to be merging with Ryden. It is a particularly good fit and provides us with continuity and a complementary skill base as well as the opportunity to serve existing and new clients from offices across the UK.”

Queen Anne DriveRyden, on behalf of Scottish Midland Co-operative Society Ltd, has let unit E Queen Anne Drive, Newbridge in West Edinburgh to the document storage company OASIS Group.

OASIS Group has taken a nine year lease on the property, which provides 2,464 sq m (26,520 sq ft) of high bay warehousing accommodation.

The building, situated close to the Newbridge roundabout, is part of a terrace of warehousing units which are sub-divided into four bays. The quoting rent for all four units is £2.75 per sq ft.

Neil McAllister, partner at Ryden, said:
“This is the first letting reward for Scotmid following their investment in the property by overcladding the walls and roof. The accommodation now provides cost effective quality warehousing on the west side of Edinburgh which is becoming increasingly difficult to find.”

Unit G, extending to 2,765 sq m (29,758 sq ft), is also under offer, whilst unit F (2,552 sq m (26,388 sq ft)) and unit H (1,061 sq m (11,419 sq ft)) remain available to let.

CoStar Award winsRyden is celebrating after taking home an impressive nine trophies at CoStar’s annual awards ceremony in Glasgow this week.

The firm scooped its multiple wins after topping four out of five league tables in both the Scotland Industrial and Glasgow Office categories.

Partner Neil McAllister was also singled out as Scotland Industrial Dealmaker of the Year.

Cementing the firm’s market leading position, Ryden was also recognised for its role in the Scotland Industrial Deal of the Year – where Amazon took 382,391 sq ft at J4M8 380 in West Lothian from Logicor – and Glasgow Office Deal of the Year – where Balfour Beatty let 44,023 sq ft at Maxim 7.

An analysis of CoStar’s research shows that in the past 12 months Ryden’s industrial team completed 194 disposals in Scotland, more than double the number of its closest competitor and disposed of over 1.4 million sq ft, almost 0.4 million sq ft more than the firm in second place. Turning to the Glasgow office market, Ryden transacted more space than its two closest competitors combined by disposing of c. 390,000 sq ft. The team also concluded 68 deals compared with its closest rivals 33.

Commenting on the firm’s success, industrial partner Neil McAllister said: “This is the fifth consecutive year that Ryden has taken home the most accolades for any one firm at the Scottish CoStar awards and we are proud of our market leading position.
The awards underpin the quality of our advice, as well as the energy, ability and ambition of our agency teams to deliver the best results for our clients. My thanks go to CoStar, industry peers and most importantly our clients who we look forward to continuing to work with.”

Watch industrial partner Alan Gilkison and office agency partner Ewan Cameron provide their insights on how their respective markets have performed in the past year and their outlook for 2018.

Castlebrae Business CentreCastlebrae Business Centre in Craigmillar in Edinburgh has reached 100% occupancy after Ryden signed up Odos Imaging for the remaining 977 sq ft on behalf of client Cre8te Opportunities Limited.

Odos Imaging specialises in advanced cameras for the industrial and scientific centre and has taken units 1-3 at a rent of £12 per sq ft.

41 companies are now located at the business centre with an average lease length of five-years. Existing occupiers include Share Scotland, Craigmillar Pet Supplies and Print Vision.

Reaching fully let status adds to what has already been a successful year for Castlebrae Business Centre as it won ‘Community Development of the Year’ at the 2017 Scottish Property Awards. The accolade was in recognition of the £2.1 million invested to transform the Art-Deco category B listed former school into a thriving modern business centre providing the local community with much-needed business space.

Finlay Miller, letting agent at Ryden, commented: “The regeneration of Castlebrae Business Centre was a major boost for the Craigmillar area and it is great to see it now fully occupied with a diverse tenant mix.”

Sharron Stanton, Chief Executive Cre8te, said: “Since the refurbishment occupancy levels has continued to rise and there is a great mix of businesses within the Business Centre. Cre8te also offer use of the ample car parking for TV/Film productions. The most recent productions being Outlander and Trainspotting 2.”

Hillington Park aerialThe Scottish Government has published Ryden’s research report on the ‘Use of Simplified Planning Zones (SPZs) and equivalent mechanisms used outwith Scotland’.

Produced with input from Brodies, the research assesses the potential for a more flexible and widely applicable land use zoning mechanism than SPZs currently provide. The report will help inform Scotland’s planning reforms.

Commenting on the report, Kevin Stewart, Minister for Housing and Local Government said: “As set out in our recent Programme for Government, Simplified Planning Zones can improve the planning process, offer significant opportunities for the self build and custom build sector and make it easier for more people to build homes. This research looks at what is working in systems beyond Scotland and, together with our pilot zones that are encouraging housing and inward investment in four local authorities, will play a significant part in how we reform our planning laws to make them work for people, communities, builders and our economy.”

SPZs are areas where the need to apply for planning permission is removed for certain types of development. An SPZ requires a scheme which specifies the type and quantity of permitted development, as well as any limitations, conditions or guidelines. If a development proposal complies with the scheme, planning permission is not required. SPZs can therefore streamline the planning process; saving time, money and providing certainty for landowners, investors and interested parties.

SPZs were developed mostly to aid regeneration and encourage employment, yet their use has been very limited in Scotland. The 2014 Hillington Park SPZ was the first in the country in 25 years; since its adoption the planning authorities have been notified of £25m investment in the Park. Interest has recently been rekindled in the potential of SPZs as part of the ongoing review of Scotland’s planning system. The recent Scottish Government paper ‘Places, people and planning’ suggested that “greater use of a zoned approach to development has potential to support housing delivery… and also wider objectives including business development and town centre renewal”.

Following a tender process, the Scottish Government appointed Ryden to carry out research into SPZs with the aim of assessing the potential for a more flexible mechanism and explore ways to overcome barriers currently limiting the wider uptake of SPZs.

Ryden’s report recommends key principles for a rebranded and more ambitious zoning approach. The recommendations are based on the firm’s analysis of Scotland’s existing SPZs, plus similar mechanisms in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, as well as European models. An insightful study tour of Strategic Development Zones in Ireland and 25 detailed interview consultations also informed the report.

The key principles identified by Ryden as requiring consideration by the Scottish Government in order to establish the modernised mechanism, and remove barriers to adoption, include:
• Target Markets
To date, the majority of SPZs have focused on employment sites due to being typically homogenous. One Town Centre SPZ exists in Renfrew and four housing SPZs are currently being piloted by the Scottish Government. The report recommends that these existing sectors are built on, an increased range of housing sectors explored as well as sites identified as national economic priorities in the National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3).
• Protected Area Exclusions
Current SPZ legislation restricts certain sites from inclusion within an SPZ including: sites requiring an environmental impact assessment (EIA), green belt sites, conservation areas and National Scenic Areas. The report recommends that this should be more flexible in order that potential opportunities are not lost. For example, rather than exclude their designation within conservation areas, proposals could require design guidance. The inclusion of sites requiring an EIA could also be determined through scoping with the planning authority.
• Legislation and Process
A key barrier to wider use of SPZs is the extensive preparation process, for example the stringent timescales to prepare a scheme and early investment (e.g. surveys) that may be required. The report recommends that preparation should be more flexible to suit the specific scheme in relation to: duration, revisions and revoke, extent of community consultation and preparation in line with the Local Development Plan. Upfront investment of delivery is encouraged and whilst there is a loss of planning fees, a charging mechanism could be explored and fees received from other streams e.g. building warrants. It is also recommended that other statutory consents are aligned through the refreshed model.

Dr Mark Robertson, partner at Ryden who led this research, said: “Ryden is delighted to have delivered this SPZ project which will inform the next stage of planning reforms in Scotland. It has set out some best practice examples of similar mechanisms outwith Scotland and highlighted solutions to overcome existing barriers to the wider use of SPZs.”

Commercial property consultant Ryden has been appointed as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Estates Professional Services (EPS) Framework in Scotland.

This is the first time the CCS has created regional frameworks across the UK for estates services. The new frameworks will improve the accessibility of public sector contracts for SME suppliers. Public sector organisations, including local government, health, education and emergency services, will gain an easier route to procuring the services of local commercial property experts.

Ryden has been awarded a place on the Scotland regional Lot of the framework following a competitive tender process. Ryden has also maintained its position on the National EPS Framework as a member of the Regional Agent Partnership (RAP) led by Sanderson Weatherall.

Ryden is headquartered in Scotland and offers a full range of advisory services for commercial property and development land. Projects previously secured by Ryden through the national EPS Framework include the disposal of the City of Glasgow College sites, development of the Murray Royal Hospital site and project management and agency advice on the Dundee Waterfront development.

Mark Robertson, Partner at Ryden, said “The launch of regional Estates Professional Services framework by the CCS is very welcome and we are delighted to have won a place on the Scottish regional Lot.

Employing local professional services firms through CCS will help public sector organisations reduce their property overheads, dispose of unwanted assets, and identify opportunities to make savings and generate income from their estate. It also helps speed up the process of securing advisors by avoiding a cumbersome full tendering process.”

77 Brunswick Street EdinburghRyden has secured the Old Ambulance Station at 77 Brunswick Street, just off Leith Walk in Edinburgh, on behalf of the Trust established to preserve the artistic legacy of renowned painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.

A 10-year lease at a rent of £12 per sq ft was agreed for the 231 sq m (2,482 sq ft) two-storey property which had been used previously as a creative venue for various exhibitions from new artists.

The Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust will use the space for its office facilities, to house any art not currently being exhibited and as an educational centre where private viewings can be arranged by appointment for individuals to study and learn more about Wilhelmina’s art.

The Trust was previously located in St Andrews, where Wilhelmina was born, but appointed Ryden to find new suitable accommodation after their facility at Balmungo House was sold. The Trust was keen to locate in Edinburgh given the strength of art and culture in the city, the presence of the National Galleries and the fact that Wilhelmina attended the Edinburgh College of Art.

Peter I’Anson, partner at Ryden who secured the new accommodation for the charity, comments: “I was delighted to work with the trustees to find a new suitable home that met the charity’s requirements and the Old Ambulance Station provided the ideal space. Restoration works have now completed at the property and the Trust has relocated to its new facility.”

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham’s artwork is to be found in public galleries and museums across the UK and internationally, including institutions such as the Tate, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, the V&A Museum and Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Lambert Smith Hampton advised the private landlord in the transaction.

Photographer Ian Georgeson, 07921 567360 Airport Health and Safety Week, Airside Safety dayFollowing a competitive tender process against two rival firms, Ryden has secured a prestigious three-year contract with Edinburgh Airport to provide a property database management service to manage leases, legal documentation and billing support for a portfolio of 170 leases.

The firm’s ability to provide a bespoke service, offer access to local senior-level surveying and accounting teams and its proven track record of managing unique portfolios were key factors cited by Edinburgh Airport as to why Ryden was the ideal choice to service their instruction.

This is the latest appointment Ryden has secured with Edinburgh Airport, having previously won contracts to provide a property asset valuation service and a reinstatement cost assessment for the airport’s portfolio.

Clare Edgar, associate in Ryden’s Property Management team and project lead, said: “This is no ordinary management mandate given the specialist nature of the portfolio. Our team is therefore looking forward to getting started and providing a first-class service. We’ll be collaborating closely with the airport and implementing a robust asset management system that evolves with our client’s requirements.”

Judy George, Head of Property and Commercial Transport from Edinburgh Airport, commented: “Having access to a bespoke software system aligned to our portfolio requirements as well as being supported by the experienced team at Ryden will allow us to accelerate the delivery of our dynamic property strategy.”

Ryden’s property management team manages over 6 million sq ft of property throughout Scotland and the north of England, with over 1,300 tenants on a rent roll of over £54 million.

32 Inglis Green Road, EdinburghLeading dance activity provider, Simon Says Dance, has agreed a 10-year lease for 492 sq m (5,299 sq ft) at 32 Inglis Green Road in Edinburgh.

Property consultant Ryden secured the letting with the dance school on behalf of a private landlord.

The two storey property was previously utilised as an office by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and a change of use to Class 11 (Assembly & Leisure) has been secured by Simon Says Dance.

The office space in the building is currently being reconfigured to create dance studio space and once complete Simon Says Dance Headquarters (SSDHQ) will have six multi-purpose studios. This allows Simon Says Dance to offer a range of dance and fitness classes to suit ages from nursery to adult. SSDHQ will also have studio space available to hire.

Iain Taylor, associate at letting agent Ryden, commented: “It is great to see this former office building be given a new lease of life. This is an excellent location for the dance school, given easy access and excellent car parking facilities.”

Simon Says Dance owner, Simon Hunter, said: “I am extremely excited about this new venture! For a long time now, I have wanted something permanent to operate Simon Says Dance from and when I saw this property – I knew it would be perfect for SSD’s 750+ weekly students. I am thrilled to bring into Longstone and the neighbouring areas, a multitude of existing and brand-new leisure activities at SSDHQ. We intend to support local leisure businesses by offering SSDHQ studio space for hire, since there is a lack of such professional studio space in the Edinburgh area. We cannot wait to start this new journey, which we hope will begin later in 2017.”