Sustainable Office Scheme Gathering Pace At Doncaster Airport As Transport Links Progress

Next to Doncaster Airport, environmentally sustainable ‘workpod’ office units are selling fast at Prospect Property Group’s £10m, 33,400 sq ft Fountain Court scheme. 50 percent of the units are now sold.

The British Association of Sport Exercise and Medicine (BASEM), a membership organisation for doctors and healthcare professionals, has acquired two adjoining units covering 3,200 sq ft at the development and is due to relocate its head office there in September from the centre of Doncaster. The organisation plans to open a training centre at its new headquarters to deliver courses for its medical professional members.

Nicky Birkinshaw, business development manager at BASEM, said: “The organisation’s move to Fountain Court will be a really positive one both for us and for our members. From the new training facility, which will open in October, we will be able to deliver our vital, smaller-scale sport and exercise medicine courses in house, rather than hiring a private venue each time, which will reduce costs for our delegates.

“Added to that, being next to the airport is a bonus. Our members come from all over the UK as well as from overseas and it’s important that they can expect a hassle-free journey to reach us.”

Financial planning specialist Woodruff Wealth Management has also purchased a 1,450 sq ft workpod unit and is now based at Fountain Court. “It’s a superb location for us” said director Andrew Woodruff.

The transport infrastructure around Doncaster is improving in leaps and bounds and the Great Yorkshire Way, which links the M18 with the airport, is the latest piece in the jigsaw, opening in February this year.

He added: “The workpod offices are really modern with tremendously high environmental build standards and we have been able to stamp our own corporate identity on the building. There is also ample parking and we’re proud to welcome clients visiting us here.”

The Fountain Court scheme was shortlisted for the 2016 Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Awards. Previously owned by the Ministry of Defence, the Doncaster International Business Park site was home to RAF Finningley’s parade ground and barracks before the air base was closed and redeveloped as Robin Hood Airport in 2005.

The project is part-financed by the European Union and has attracted £2.49m of EU funding from the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF programme 2007-13.

Tim Dodkin, development director at Prospect Property Group, said: “We are seeing a surge of interest in the 22-strong workpods at Fountain Court and have now sold over 50 per cent of the units. Word is spreading among small but growing businesses about these state of the art but affordable offices, built to a high environmental spec in a great location.”

Leeds law firm Clarion acted on behalf of Prospect Property Group in the sale of all three units.