Birketts has advised Martley Capital on the acquisition of a three‑asset regional office portfolio with a combined value of approximately £40m, forming the latest investments for the manager’s specialist MCRO Fund.
The portfolio comprises Central Square South in Newcastle, acquired from Aberdeen; Matalan’s headquarters at Knowsley Business Park in Liverpool, purchased from a vehicle controlled by the Hargreaves family; and One City Place in Chester, acquired from Federated Hermes.
Together, the buildings total more than 269,000 sq ft of office accommodation. The acquisitions reflect Martley Capital’s growing commitment to the UK regional office market.
Birketts’ commercial real estate team was led by Laura Hector (Partner) with support from Cameron Barlow (Partner), Olivia Button (Senior Associate), Jade Musker (Associate), Katie McElligott (Associate) and James Humphreys (Legal Director).
Rory Finnan, Managing Director at Martley Capital, said: “These acquisitions underscore our confidence in the underlying strength of the regional office market and the opportunities available for active managers. Birketts’ legal team provided clear, responsive and commercially astute advice throughout the process, enabling us to complete three transactions efficiently and in line with our strategic objectives.”
Laura Hector, Partner in Birketts’ commercial real estate team, added: “We are very pleased to have supported Martley Capital on this well‑executed series of acquisitions. The portfolio provides a strong foundation for the MCRO Fund’s strategy, and we are delighted that our sector experience and multi‑disciplinary capabilities played a part in bringing this important transaction together. We look forward to working with the Martley team on future investments as the fund continues to grow.”
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