RO Real Estate Press

John West

Belvedere Communications

020 3735 8896

jwest@belvederepr.com

Notes to Editor

RO Real Estate is a privately-owned company specialising in commercial property investment and development in the south east, with a portfolio of more than £80 million of properties. It is the property division of the RO Group, which was founded in 1932 by Stanley Graham Rowlandson. His innovative attitude to business has been carried forward by his son, and current Chairman, Richard Rowlandson, who used the Group’s property and retailing experience to develop over 40 neighbourhood centres in the 1980s and 90s and 30 Pegasus Retirement Homes in the 2000s. Now Graham’s grandson and current Group Managing Director, Edward Rowlandson has grasped the mantle overseeing the Group’s investment in various entrepreneurial ventures which in addition to commercial property investment include residential development and high quality holiday lodge parks.

Monday, 10 April 2017

THE RO BUILDS ON ITS STRENGTHS WITH FURTHER INVESTMENT IN SOUTHAMPTON

10/04/2017

Acquisition of West Park House, Cumberland Place for £4 million

The RO announces that they have completed the purchase of West Park House in Southampton from Lanyon Quay Ltd for a total consideration of £4 million. West Park House occupies a prominent location within the City Centre, on the corner of Cumberland Place and Bedford Place, in the established central business district and overlooking Watts Park to the front.

This is the second major acquisition the RO has made in Southampton following the purchase last year of Waterside Place located on the harbour front and a short walk from West Quay, adjacent to Royal Pier which has been earmarked for significant redevelopment and regeneration. Both acquisitions were made through the RO’s wholly owned subsidiary RO Real Estate, which acquires and develops commercial property assets on behalf of the Group.

Recent research by CBRE reveals City centre availability currently stands at 7%, or 300,000 sq ft, which equates to just one year’s office supply which is low for a commercial centre the size of Southampton. West Park House is well situated to capitalise on this trend and is currently let to a leading firm of local solicitors, Paris Smith, as well as specialist advisory firm The Health Insurance Group.

Originally constructed in 1996, West Park House is arranged over 1,630.43 sq m (17,550 sq ft) over ground and three upper floors with a secure basement car park with 21 spaces. The £4 million acquisition price reflects a net initial yield of 7.6%. RO were advised by CBRE.

Commenting on the acquisition Nick Moore, Senior Investment Manager, RO Real Estate said:

"The acquisition of West Park House is an excellent example of the type of investment opportunity we are looking for in the £2 to £7 million acquisition size. Moreover it highlights our corporate philosophy of being in business to do business and shows the value of establishing committed and enduring relationships with local agents who have strong local knowledge.

The property has prime asset fundamentals providing good locational and income diversification to our other Southampton asset. This is a City which is a recognised strong performer and should deliver strong rental growth. Hampshire and its neighbouring counties remain an important geographic focus for the wider RO Group. As well as commercial property we also have a number of residential developments through our sister company Metis Homes."

RO Real Estate and its various sister companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of the RO which is a family owned group of companies established in 1932. The RO has always invested in a diverse range of interests which today embraces commercial property, housebuilding, holiday lodges and financial services.

RO Real Estate, the commercial property division, has built over 1.1 million sq ft to date and currently manages over 1m sq ft of office, industrial, retail and hotel accommodation. All acquisitions are funded through its existing cash resources, meaning that it is able to move quickly if the appropriate investment criteria are met.

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For further information

RO Real Estate

020 7025 1780

John West

Belvedere Communications

020 3735 8896

jwest@belvederepr.com

Notes to Editor

Tuesday, 28 February 2017

RO COMPLETES LETTING AT STATION APPROACH, FROME

28/02/2017

RO Real Estate, the UK commercial property investment and development company, has completed the letting of a large warehouse unit at Station Approach in Frome, Somerset.

RO has leased 7,271 sq ft of space in Unit A to Serious Strength Equipment Ltd, one of the largest suppliers of pure strength and conditioning equipment in Europe, on a 10 year lease. Established occupiers close by include Jewsons, City Plumbing, Frome Tiling, Train Station Gym, Frome Reclamation, Family Bargains Retail Store and Asda.

The premises comprise a warehouse forming part of a former factory subdivided into four units for trade counter and leisure businesses – with 32 car parking spaces situated at the front of the building. It is strategically located on the Somerset/Wiltshire border with excellent road access to major networks.

Nick Moore, Senior Investment Manager, said: “We are pleased to have signed a 10 year lease with Serious Strength Equipment Ltd, who have made a long term commitment to this estate and are a welcome addition to the tenant mix.”

RO Real Estate was advised by Myddelton & Major, Serious Strength Equipment Ltd were unrepresented.

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For further information:

Nick Moore, RO Real Estate

020 7025 1785

Nick.Moore@rogroup.co.uk

Kirsty Allan, Tavistock Communications

020 7920 3150

Notes to Editors:

Monday, 23 January 2017

RO EXPANDS PORTFOLIO WITH WATFORD ACQUISITION

23/01/2017

RO Real Estate, the UK commercial property investment and development company, has completed the acquisition of a multi-let office building at 49 Clarendon Road, Watford, Hertfordshire.

RO has purchased Victoria House from Cheshire West and Chester Council for £5.815 million, which reflects a net initial yield of 7.16%. The 21,834 sq ft three-storey office building, which is in the heart of Watford’s prime office centre, has 4,704 sq ft of office space available in three suites ranging from 1,500 sq ft to 1,700 sq ft. Brasier Freeth are marketing the space to let on behalf of RO.

Current tenants include Drop & Collect, the UK’s largest independent store-based parcel delivery and returns service, Hays Specialist Recruitment, the leading global specialist recruitment group and CH Robinson Worldwide (UK), a Fortune 500 provider of multimodal transportation services and third-party logistics.

Richard Bourne, head of RO Real Estate, said: “We are delighted to have secured such a significant office property in Watford, which has immense growth potential as a key business district in the region. Its location close to the M1, M25 and London provide excellent train links from Watford Junction to Euston. There is a shortage of supply and strong demand therefore we expect rents to increase. We will also look to add value through a programme of refurbishment and asset management. This acquisition builds on our recent acquisitions in the south east and will be an exceptional addition to our portfolio.”

RO Real Estate was advised by Strutt & Parker, Cheshire West and Chester Council was advised by Capita.

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For further information:

Edward Rowlandson / Nick Moore, RO Real Estate

01707 601400 / 0207 025 1780

Kirsty Allan, Tavistock Communications

020 7920 3150

Notes to Editors:

Monday, 28 November 2016

RO COMPLETES TWO LETTINGS AT KATHERINE HOUSE, HERTFORDSHIRE

28/11/2016

RO Real Estate, the UK commercial property investment and development company, has completed two lettings, totalling 6,060 sq ft of office space at Katherine House in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, generating an additional rent roll of £120,340 p.a.

RO has leased 2,443 sq ft of space to Next Step Care Management, a nationwide organisation offering alternative residential accommodation to young people, on a 10 year lease. A P Xpress, a design company supplying printed labels to the fashion industry, has taken a further 3,617 sq ft of space on a 10 year lease.

Katherine House is a 3 storey self-contained office building, offering allocated parking for up to 18 cars. It is conveniently located near Potters Bar railway station which provides a 30 minute service direct to London Kings Cross Station.

Richard Bourne, head of RO Real Estate, said: “We are pleased to have secured full occupancy at Katherine House. These lettings demonstrate the momentum across our portfolio and the intensity we strive to put into all our asset management activity. The proximity to the mainline station and the availability of parking were key factors.”

Brasier Freeth LLP acted for RO, while Next Step Care Management and A P Xpress were unrepresented.

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For further information:

Edward Rowlandson / Nick Moore, RO Real Estate

01707 601400 / 0207 025 1780

Kirsty Allan, Tavistock Communications

020 7920 3150

Notes to Editors:

RO Real Estate is a privately-owned company specialising in commercial property investment and development in the south east, with a portfolio of more than £8 million of properties. It is the property division of the RO Group, which was founded in 1932 by Stanley Graham Rowlandson. His innovative attitude to business has been carried forward by his son, and current Chairman, Richard Rowlandson, who used the Group’s property and retailing experience to develop over 40 neighbourhood centres in the 1980s and 90s and 30 Pegasus Retirement Homes in the 2000s. Now Graham’s grandson and current Group Managing Director, Edward Rowlandson has grasped the mantle overseeing the Group’s investment in various entrepreneurial ventures which in addition to commercial property investment include residential development and high quality holiday lodge parks.

Thursday, 24 November 2016

RO SELLS POUNDLAND STORE IN DUDLEY

24/11/2016

RO Real Estate, the UK commercial property investment and development company, has completed the sale of a 31,667 sq ft Poundland store in Dudley, West Midlands to B&M Retail Ltd for £1.925 million.

The property comprises 31,667 sq ft of space over three floors and is situated on the prime pitch in the High Street which benefitted from a multi-million pound improvement programme in 2015. Dudley is well located to the east of the M5 motorway and there are good rail services from Dudley Port via Birmingham to London. Nearby occupiers in the High Street include Boots, Santander, HSBC, Peacocks, Barclays Bank, Bon Marche, Superdrug, Wilko and Ryman.

RO completed a number of asset management initiatives at the retail property including a refurbishment and reconfiguration of the unit as well as a new roof. In addition the store has recently had an extensive new fit out by 99p Stores.

This disposal is part of RO’s ongoing strategy to reposition its portfolio by carrying out a rolling disposal programme once the value of assets have been maximised and recycling the proceeds for reinvestment in core income and value-add opportunities in the south east.

RO Real Estate still has a significant amount of cash to reinvest in lot sizes between £2-7 million.

Richard Bourne, head of RO Real Estate, said: “The successful disposal of this property is in line with our strategy to maximise value and recycle the proceeds into new asset management opportunities. We secured a 10 year lease to Poundland and improved the quality of the unit, therefore now was the right time to sell.”

Lambert Smith Hampton advised RO and B&M Retail Ltd were unrepresented on this transaction.

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For further information:

Edward Rowlandson / Nick Moore, RO Real Estate

01707 601400 / 0207 025 1780

Kirsty Allan, Tavistock Communications

020 7920 3150

Notes to Editors:

Monday, 17 October 2016

RO GROUP’S SOUTH EAST EXPANSION

17/10/2016

Through its wholly owned subsidiary RO Real Estate, which acquires, manages and develops commercial property assets, RO Group has been very active in the south east, underlining its strategy of adopting a long term approach to business.

In Sevenoaks, Kent, RO has acquired a 14,524 sq.ft multi-let office building at 1 Suffolk Way from Marley Pension Limited for £4.6 million. The four-storey office building with 59 parking spaces is close to local amenities and Sevenoaks Railway Station, providing excellent access to London via Charing Cross, Waterloo and London Bridge Stations. RO will seek to refurbish the property and provide high quality accommodation. The low level of supply, coupled with the high demand for good quality office space is already delivering strong rental growth.

Dakota CGI

In Weybridge, Surrey, RO has begun work on Dakota, a speculative office development at Brooklands. A self-contained high quality modern office building comprising 35,582 sq.ft, Dakota will be prominently situated at the heart of the business park which has attracted a number of high profile occupiers including LG, Sony Europe, Samsung, Regus, Proctor & Gamble and Mercedes Benz. On completion, scheduled for March 2017, Dakota will offer four floors of up to 11,200 sq.ft. Future occupiers will also benefit from Grade A office space, 122 dedicated car parking spaces (1:290 sq.ft), two entertainment roof terraces, 30 cycle spaces and eight shower facilities.

Visit Dakota-weybridge.com

Following refurbishment and representation, RO has also recently sold Crabtree Office Village in Egham, Surrey, its four unit office park to House of Hiranandani for £4.3 million. Nearby in Staines, RO also owns Staines One, an 8,188 sq.ft three storey office building adjacent to Staines mainline railway station with 33 dedicated car parking spaces, acquired in 2007 and subsequently fully refurbished.

Following strong demand, RO has fully let the building to tenants which include IDG, United Closures & Plastics and Le Mare Design at rents of up to £28.50psf.

Richard Bourne, head of RO Real Estate, commented: “The south east office market is currently characterised by a limited supply of good quality space and a healthy level of demand. In many areas there is less than 3-6 months of supply and as a result we are seeing strong rental growth. We see this as an excellent opportunity to manage the assets to deliver long-term capital growth and performance given the location and market characteristics. Many of these south east towns also offer alternative use angles, which enables us to de-risk the investment and potentially deliver additional returns. These examples are all reflections of the RO’s approach to property; finding opportunities to create value in every asset we own whether through redevelopment, refurbishment or general asset management.”

For more information visit ROrealestate.co.uk

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For further information:

Edward Rowlandson / Nick Moore, RO Real Estate

01707 601400 / 0207 025 1780

Kirsty Allan, Tavistock 020 7920 3150

Notes to Editors:

RO Real Estate is a privately-owned company specialising in commercial property investment and development in the south east, with a portfolio of more than £81 million of properties and £35 million of cash. It is the property division of the RO Group, which was founded in 1932 by Stanley Graham Rowlandson. His innovative attitude to business has been carried forward by his son, and current Chairman, Richard Rowlandson, who used the Group’s property and retailing experience to develop over 40 neighbourhood centres in the 1980s and 90s and more than 30 Pegasus retirement homes in the 2000s. Now Graham’s grandson and current Group Managing Director, Edward Rowlandson has grasped the mantle overseeing the Group’s investment in various entrepreneurial ventures which in addition to commercial property investment include residential development, high-quality holiday lodge developments, domiciliary and specialist care services.