Pictured: (l-r) Niels de Vos, CEO of UK Athletics, John
Graves, executive chair of England Athletics, and Adrian Southall,
managing director of KWB Workplace
Great Britain's two largest athletics governing bodies are in
the starting blocks as they prepare to relocate to an exciting new
headquarters ahead of the 2012 London Olympics - with support from
leading property specialists KWB.
UK Athletics, along with England Athletics, is planning to move
into its new home at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium this month
after signing a 10-year lease for 11,000 sq ft of office space in
the new grandstand.
The deal, brokered by office sales and lettings specialists KWB,
is seen as a coup for the city, Birmingham City Council and the
venue which faced stiff competition from the Olympics 2012 site in
London.
UK Athletics is relocating its national headquarters from Blythe
Valley Business Park in Solihull to the stadium in Perry Park as it
prepares for the most important year in its history. It will move
its 80 staff into a new suite of offices forming part of the
venue's £12.8 million grandstand completed by Thomas Vale.
England Athletics will be leaving Birmingham International Park to
move alongside UK Athletics, moving 20 staff to the site.
KWB Office, based in Newhall Street, Birmingham, worked in
partnership with Birmingham City Council's leisure department to
overcome any hurdles and secure the prestigious deal for the city,
and ensure athletics' governing bodies remained in the region.
UKA's CEO Niels de Vos said: "We've enjoyed working with KWB
throughout this process. Relocating the HQ of any organisation can
be a complicated matter, and this is made all the more challenging
as we approach the start of the Olympic year. As the governing body
to the Nation's favourite Olympic sport, the expert advice from KWB
has more than matched up to the standards we expect."
KWB managing director John Bryce said: "It's tempting to say
that the negotiations weren't a sprint but a marathon, but we are
delighted to have played our part in the relocation of UKA to a
suite of offices at the new grandstand at Birmingham's Alexander
Stadium.
"UKA has links to Loughborough University and the Lee Valley
athletics centre in London, where it has based two National
Performance Centres, but has opted to relocate to Birmingham's
Alexander Stadium. It's a major coup and a big vote of confidence
for the venue and for the city."
KWB Workplace, operating alongside the KWB agency team, assisted
UKA in their search and evaluation of premises after meeting the
governing body's representatives more than 12 months ago to discuss
their needs.
Adrian Southall, managing director of KWB Workplace, said: "We
worked alongside our agency colleagues to assist UK Athletics in
their search and evaluation process for premises. After drawing up
a shortlist of premises that met their criteria it became obvious
that the new development at Alexander Stadium provided the perfect
opportunity.
"By utilising our services and purchasing power, combined with
our knowledge of specifications, we have been able to help them
make substantial savings on the fit-out of their new offices so
they have been able to make the most of the £205,000 capital
contribution grant from Birmingham City Council."
The UKA and England Athletics finance director Kevan Taylor
consulted KWB throughout the relocation process. He said: "In
business and in sport it's important to work as a team. We were
therefore delighted with the winning combination of support and
expert advice we received from KWB and their personable approach.
We are now looking forward to an exciting new era for UK Athletics
as we prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games."
The USA track and field team, the biggest and most successful
team in Olympic history, have confirmed that they will use the
Alexander Stadium's training facilities during the build up to the
London Olympics.