Benchmark Group PLC
4 April 2000
BENCHMARK'S STIRLING SQUARE
FULLY LET
3 April 2000
Benchmark Group PLC ('Benchmark'), the specialist central
London property investment and development company,
announces that it has completed the lettings of a further
3,243m sq (34,900 sq ft) of offices at its prestige
office development, Stirling Square, Carlton Gardens,
London SW1.
The third floor, comprising 1,335m sq (14,366 sq ft) and
ground floor comprising 573m sq (6,170 sq ft) have been
let to CIB Properties Limited, a subsidiary of Citibank
NA, on a 15 year lease without breaks at a rent of
£1,377,938 p.a. (an average £67.10 per sq ft), with 5
year upwards only rent reviews.
The second floor, comprising 1,335m sq (14,366 sq ft) has
been let to Texas Pacific Group (Europe) Limited, on a 10
year lease without a break at a rent of £969,705 per
annum with a rent review at the fifth year.
These lettings mean that the office space at Stirling
Square is now entirely let and produces a total gross
rent roll of £5,900,146 p.a.
There are six residential apartments totalling 1,512m sq
(16,270 sq ft) on the sixth and seventh floors of
Stirling Square. Three of the apartments totalling 784m
sq (8,439 sq ft) have now been sold at a total of just
over £10 million which equates to an average sales price
of £1,190 per sq ft.
Nigel Kempner, Chief Executive of Benchmark said: 'We are
absolutely delighted with the outcome of our development.
We have achieved lettings ahead of timetable and with
less tenants' incentives than expected. We have
attracted a superb mix of top class tenants at excellent
rents. The result fully justifies our decision to
develop the building speculatively and then take the
early decision to adopt a multi-let strategy. I believe
that this policy enhances the value of the building in
the longer term through diversity of risk and the
dynamism of the property because of the different lease
lengths and rentals achieved in the building.
'The residential is selling well at excellent prices for
the area and I am confident that the remaining three
flats will sell quickly in the current market.'
For further information, please contact:
Nigel Kempner Jeremy Carey/Karen Roberts
Chief Executive Tavistock Communications
Benchmark Group PLC
Tel: 020 7287 6881 Tel: 020 7600 2288