Blueoak acquires Trafford office for resi conversion 

Alexander House is to be converted into 110 apartments under plans drawn up by its new owner. 

Chester-based Blueoak Estates has acquired the 63,000 sq ft Talbot Road building, previously occupied by law firm Horwich Farrelly, from Cadence Real Estate. 

Earlier this year, Blueoak Estates submitted a building control application to Trafford Council seeking consent to transform the 10-storey building into homes. 

A statement on the developer’s website says the plan is to “repurpose Alexander House, reconfigure the floor space and introduce modern features and functionality to make it perfectly suited for a young demographic”. 

A 30-unit new-build block could also be constructed on the building’s car park. 

Alexander House is the sixth office in the area to be sold for residential conversion in the last four years. Others include Westpoint, Metropolitan House, Warwick House, Trafford Plaza and Nelson House. 

Savills has advised on each of those sales. 

Ed Rooney, director at Savills, said: “Developers are facing additional challenges this year caused by inflationary pressures and changes in building regulations but, above all, there is still an acute lack of supply which is forcing developers to ‘think big’ to secure anchor sites and consider opportunities further up the risk curve and further down the planning supply chain.  

“The opportunities that some office buildings present, in terms of conversion to residential use, is one way that developers are responding to these challenges.”