GOADSBY'S business space team is celebrating a record year after transacting £125 million of commercial property across the central south.

The team successfully completed 224 deals totalling 950,000 sq ft of business space during 2007.

It comes just months after Goadsby's commercial business was named the most active regional agency in the central south for 2006/7 by the online arm of the highly respected property publication Estates Gazette, EGi.

Divisional director Chris Wilson said: "Our business space team has just had its best 12 months ever.

"We have a fantastic market share and our enquiry levels increased at the beginning of January - we look set for another busy year."

Best prices across Dorset and south Hampshire are now averaging:

  • Industrial starter units - £140 to £150/sq ft freehold, £9 to £10/sq ft leasehold
  • Industrial design and build - £100 to £110/sq ft freehold, £7 to £7.50/sq ft leasehold
  • Offices - £180 to £210/sq ft freehold, £17 to £18/sq ft leasehold.

Hotspots for demand include Bournemouth, Poole, Ferndown, Ringwood, Verwood, Woolsbridge, Southampton, Segensworth and Hedge End. Goadsby has also transacted business space deals in Portland, Gillingham, Winchester and Havant.

In Poole Goadsby acted on behalf of Key Property Investments (Number Four) - a joint venture between St Modwen Properties and Salhia Real Estate Company - and let 20,000 sq ft modern offices at Canford House, Discovery Court Business Centre to Bournemouth & Poole Primary Care Trust.

Goadsby acquired 17,632 sq ft offices at No 1 Dorset Street, Southampton for Grant Thornton LLP on a new 15-year lease.

At County Gates in Poole Road, Westbourne, Goadsby let 10,158 sq ft of refurbished offices on behalf of Robert Kay at a rental of £146,000 per year.

Other deals transacted by Goadsby across the south include:

  • Dakota Business Park, Havant - a 22,584 sq ft design and build unit sold on behalf of Rok Development to Tileasy
  • 3 and 4 Balena Close, Creekmoor, Poole - 23,503 sq ft of detached industrial/warehouse premises let to Total Waste
  • 15 Factory Road, Upton Industrial Estate, Poole - 21,251 sq ft detached industrial/warehouse property let to Aeroform.

A key trend in the industrial market generally is the re-emergence of pre-letting - companies having property designed and built for them then renting it, rather than buying.