Kier : Property reaches practical completion of Columbus Quarter

In partnership with Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC), Kier Property, the development division of Kier Group, has reached practical completion of a new retail scheme known as Columbus Quarter on the Walworth Business Park in Andover. The 26,733 sq ft scheme comprises a Lidl supermarket, a Starbucks franchise drive-thru, a Greggs and an A1/A3/A5 unit which is currently under offer. Construction commenced in October 2018, once 97% of the scheme was pre-let. Lidl is expected to open its doors in early Q4 and the remaining tenants will be opening over the coming weeks.

Kier Property was selected as TVBC's development partner and asset manager in 2011. Practical completion of this scheme marks the third development Kier has worked on in partnership with TVBC. Planning consent has been granted on two upcoming industrial schemes on the park totalling 549,150 sq ft,

Leigh Thomas, executive director for Kier Property, commented: 'Columbus Quarter specifically addresses the lack of retail offering catering to the businesses on the Walworth Business Park and the residents within the local vicinity. With the emerging residential developments underway on Picket Piece and Picket Twenty, we identified an exciting opportunity to provide local amenities on the gateway site into the Walworth Business Park.

'I'm pleased that our vision for this site has reached practical completion and the individual retailers have commenced their fit-out, with the official opening expected within the next couple of months. We are confident that the offering on Columbus Quarter will drive more businesses to consider the Walworth Business Park as a destination for their operations.'

Test Valley Borough Council's finance portfolio holder, Councillor Maureen Flood, said: 'The Columbus Quarter will be fantastic for business park employees as well as residents of the growing Picket Piece and Picket Twenty neighbourhoods.

'I am incredibly proud of the council's track record of working with Kier to deliver quality projects such as this and would like to thank all those involved in the scheme. We have a really strong and innovative business community in Andover and I am pleased that we are able to create high quality units to meet their needs and attract new businesses to the area.

'I am very much looking forward to the new units opening in due course.'

Kier and TVBC were advised by LSH and JLL on the occupational element. Alex Hirst of LSH commented: 'We are delighted to have helped TVBC and Kier on this project, delivering much needed amenity for Walworth Business Park and the emerging residential population, on a site that has been unutilised for decades'