The Welsh Government’s New Development Scheme is a temporary measure which exempts all newly built commercial property which is completed by 30 September 2016 from liability to empty property rate for the first 18 months.

It was introduced to stimulate construction and encourage development in Wales. Properties that have been the subject of substantial structural alterations – such as those built on existing foundations or around a retained façade, may also benefit from the relief.

Welsh Ministers are to determine applications for energy generation of up to 350 MW under proposals set out in the Wales Bill which is currently progressing through the House of Commons. These types of schemes are likely to join the other infrastructure projects determined by ministers under the new Developments of National Significance (DNS) process which came into force on 1 March 2016. These include energy generating schemes such as wind farms, solar arrays and lagoons, airports and related development, railways, motorways and reservoirs over the DNS thresholds.

Andrew Gardner, Cooke & Arkwright’s Managing Director comments, "The hope is that the centralised high level role of Welsh Government will bring focus, greater speed and efficiency to the progress of such important applications

Two of Wales’ most well-known brands have partnered following the completion of new commercial space in the centre of Cardiff.
Coffee#1 opened at The Friary on 21st July, the space recently refurbished at the front of Principality Building Society’s Queen Street head office. This marks the 11th coffee shop opening for Coffee#1 of 2016 so far.

Pictured, Julie-Ann Haines, Principality Building Society's Customer Director; Ana Placinta, Manager of Coffee#1's new branch at The Friary, and Huw Thomas, Director of Retail  & Leisure, Cooke & Arkwright

Office space lettings in Cardiff for 2016 are up by 36% on the same time last year, according to new figures revealed by Cooke & Arkwright, as the commercial property agent secures the largest deal of the year with HM Revenue and Customs completing on 54,587 sq. ft. at Brunel House.

According to the data, gathered as part of the Cardiff Commercial Property Forum take-up statistics, total space leased in the second quarter of 2016 was 201,882 sq. ft., compared with 144,613 sq. ft. for the same quarter in 2015 – a 39% rise.

Visitors to Cooke & Arkwright’s offices in Cardiff are being greeted with a brand new reception area and adjacent meeting rooms that are almost unrecognisable from the previous space. We have just completed a major overhaul which has transformed the entrance area and created a suite of new offices.

The whole space has been redesigned and refurbished with glass partitions replacing the former walls, new flooring, recessed lighting and a sleek, modern reception desk. Chairman Michael Lawley comments, “We were keen to upgrade the space to follow on from earlier refurbishment of the rear stairwells, toilet and kitchen facilities. We are all delighted with the results and feedback from clients and staff has been extremely positive. The space appears larger, lighter and very contemporary, reflecting on where we stand as a leading property business in Wales."

To view more images please click below.

Three new graduate surveyors have been recruited to Cooke & Arkwright as part of the firm’s long term commitment to training, supporting and developing a new generation of professionals. Gabriel Davies, left, is providing support to the Commercial Agency teams during his Sandwich Placement Year, Dominic Garner, centre, is with Retail & Leisure, and Rhys Price has joined Business Space.

Managing Director Andrew Gardner comments, “We take the long view and consider it very important to preserve continuity in our provision of high quality, professional levels of service that our clients know and expect. This includes nurturing new talent for the future.

No it's not one of the opening scenes from 'An American Werewolf in London' (even though scenes were filmed in the area)...

At around 6:30pm on Saturday 16th July, whilst most sensible people were settling down to watch Ant & Dec on the telly, eight foolhardy souls from Cooke & Arkwright’s past and present, joined over two hundred others in undertaking the ascent of Pen y Fan mountain ten times as part of Ten y Fan, in support of LATCH children’s charity, Cooke & Arkwright’s chosen cause for the year.