Two new lettings (£5.50 per sq ft) at Birmingham's Junction 6 industrial estate23rd January 2013

Two more lettings have been notched up at one of Birmingham’s most popular industrial estates, Junction 6, at Electric Avenue, Aston.

The lettings are to Middle Eastern retail giant LuLu Hypermarkets and construction firm Willmott Dixon Partnerships.

The former, which operates 104 stores throughout the Gulf region, and has outlets in 22 countries in Asia, is to occupy unit 3, which extends to 21, 395 sq ft.

The unit will be used to distribute UK-branded food products to various locations in the Middle East. It is LuLu’s first venture in the UK, and Junction 6 will become the company’s headquarters in this country, creating around 80 jobs. The company already employs more than 30,000 staff in Asia, North Africa and the Gulf.

LuLu, which has an annual global turnover of around £2.8 bn, has taken a ten year lease at Junction 6, at £5.50 per sq ft.

Willmott Dixon, a construction firm specialising in the residential sector, is to use its 11,849 sq ft unit as a training centre. It will include test rigs for the installation of central heating systems, and other facilities to demonstrate commonly-used construction techniques.

Willmott Dixon has agreed a nine-year lease at a rent of £5.50 per sq ft for the unit.

Joint agents at Junction 6 industrial estate are the Birmingham office of leading global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield and GBR Phoenix Beard, also based in the city.

Colin Lawrence-Waterhouse, senior surveyor at Cushman & Wakefield, said that the rental level achieved reflected the quality of the units.

“These two lettings mean that there are only three units remaining at Junction 6, and the deals prove that there is still strong demand in the market for this size and type of unit. The rents achieved are testament to the quality of the units on the Park and the strength of the location."

Chris Keye, a surveyor at GBR Phoenix Beard, said: “Lulu Hypermarket was keen to acquire quality real estate in the UK, which would facilitate their continued growth and complement their brand. The high quality and modern specification offered at Junction 6 industrial estate coupled with the excellent transport links provided an immediate solution for them.” 

Junction 6 is owned by PRUPIM, the real estate fund investment management arm of M&G.

Other tenants at Junction 6 include plumbing supplies business BES and document storage firm Iron Mountain.