Autism charity acquires St Helens office block
Plans are in place and main contractor Davlins Construction is ready to convert 11 The Parks into a specialist college, now that Remarkable Autism has completed its £1.1m purchase of the Haydock building.
Planning permission for the conversion was secured this summer, allowing the deal between Remarkable Autism and the building’s previous owner, an unnamed private investor, to progress. BE Group acted for the vendor, with Remarkable Autism representing itself on the deal.
Remarkable Autism is a charitable organisation dedicated to helping empower those with autism. Ascent College, which educates those between the ages of 16 to 25, is part of the charity’s programmes.
The move to 11 The Parks was necessary as the group has outgrown its current home at 449 Wargrave Road in Newton-le-Willows, having grown from 12 students in 2022 to 43.
Converting the 10,330 sq ft office block into a college will enable the school to educate 60 students and have a full-time staff of 45. The goal is to open the college’s new facility, which has been designed by NJSR Chartered Architects, early next year.
Robin Bush, chief executive of Remarkable Autism, said: “Moving to 11 The Parks will allow Ascent to build on its work to date and create an environment where all students can achieve their potential.”
Ascent College head of adult services, Julliet Doherty, added: “This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Remarkable Autism’s commitment to providing an exceptional learning environment for our students.
“11 The Parks will offer spacious, adaptable classrooms designed specifically to meet the unique needs of our students. This new space will not only enhance our educational offer but also foster a greater sense of community and belonging among our staff and students, empowering them to thrive both academically and socially.”
The future Ascent College space is one of 15 self-contained buildings at The Parks, which boast 120,000 sq ft of offices and sits by Junction 23 of the M6. JLL is a joint agent for the complex, alongside BE Group.
Reflecting on the sale, Simon Roddam, director of BE Group and head of commercial agency, said: “It has been great working closely with this occupier to find a property solution.
“Whilst The Parks is a very established and successful office scheme, the need to consider alternative uses for certain buildings has been key to keeping the Park well occupied and attractive for not just office users.”
Roddam elaborated: “Since the pandemic we have seen quite a few office occupiers reduce their space requirements as many opt for a flexible approach. Larger office transactions are not as frequent at present; however, we have seen a recent surge in demand for office buildings from alternative use sectors such as medical and educational.
“Subject to planning, motorway corridor business parks like The Parks are ideal for many different business functions, we see this as a market trend going forward which should be embraced to keep these vital employment areas vibrant.”
You can learn more about the office to college conversion by searching reference number P/2024/0180/FUL on St Helens Council’s planning portal.
