Leading planning and design practice Barton Willmore has moved into new offices at the multi-award winning White Building in the heart of Southampton. <!–more–>

The Barton Willmore team, who previously worked from offices at Ocean Village, now occupy 1,549 sq ft of office space at the landmark building at Cumberland Place in a move secured by South Coast office agency specialists at Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) and Asset Managers for White Building, Ashville Asset Management. LSH and JLL are sole joint agents for the development, which is now 90% occupied.

Barton Willmore joins an impressive list of tenants including James Cowper, Keoghs, Foot Anstey, Regis Bentley, Novum Law, Wessex Petroleum, Blue Arrow and Manpower at the White Building, which has become a celebrated development since it was extensively refurbished following its acquisition by Ashville Capital in 2014.

The White Building was named one of the most inspirational in the region at the prestigious Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards, where it was Highly Commended in the Commercial Property Category. It also holds the titles of Development of the Year and Workplace Environment of the Year in the South Coast Property Awards.

Robin Shepherd (pictured), lead partner for Barton Willmore’s Southampton office, said: “This is a very fitting move for us as we continue to build on our established and rapidly expanding practice in the South East. The contemporary design ethos and working environment at the White Building align perfectly with our own values – and we are very much looking forward to working from an award-winning building in the heart of the city centre.”

Andy Hodgkinson, Director, Office Advisory at LSH’s South Coast offices, said: “There’s a real buzz around the White Building, and we are very pleased to have been able to facilitate this move for Barton Willmore – planners and designers who know a good development when they see one!

“I know they will continue to go from strength to strength, operating from one of the best-designed office environments in the region.”

Andrew Oliver, Lettings Manager for Ashville group, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome the Barton Willmore team to the White Building, where I am sure they will fit in very well alongside the huge variety of tenants who enjoy working from this landmark development.

“The fact that we are now almost 90% occupied is testament to the reputation that this award-winning development has earned since its transformation into one of the best commercial developments in the region.”