The AA has agreed a deal to move its headquarters from its historic home of Fanum House in Basingstoke to the nearby redevelopment of Mountbatten House.
The car recovery firm will take more than 41,000 sq ft of the 150,000 sq ft development – rebranded Plant – on a 15-year lease. It will move into the new building in the summer, once redevelopment is complete.
The Grade II listed building, originally built in 1976, has been redesigned to deliver a best-in-class modern office building and is targeting an EPC A rating, BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum and WiredScore Platinum certifications.
The AA has agreed a deal to move its headquarters from its historic home of Fanum House in Basingstoke to the nearby redevelopment of Mountbatten House.
The car recovery firm will take more than 41,000 sq ft of the 150,000 sq ft development – rebranded Plant – on a 15-year lease. It will move into the new building in the summer, once redevelopment is complete.
The Grade II listed building, originally built in 1976, has been redesigned to deliver a best-in-class modern office building and is targeting an EPC A rating, BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum and WiredScore Platinum certifications.
The project is being led by Longstock Capital and Mactaggart Family & Partners.
The AA is moving out of the 154,000 sq ft Fanum House where it has been based for almost 50 years. It announced a plan to leave the building, which it said was no longer fit for purpose, more than a year ago. It has been put up for sale by Basingstoke & Deane Borough, which owns the freehold, and long leaseholder the AA, through Avison Young and JLL last year but has since been removed from the market. The council and AA have now agreed a surrender of the lease on the office – with the AA continuing to rent the car park. The council will likely bring the office site back to market as a redevelopment opportunity when the AA moves out at the end of the year.
Mactaggart Family & Partners’ William Laxton said: “As a business of such high standing and significance in the UK, the AA taking a 15-year lease proves that businesses are happy to commit for the right assets, assets that genuinely satisfy the needs of employees and stakeholders in terms of environmental credentials, design quality and occupier experience.”
He added: “We have had healthy interest from the occupier market, which we expect to intensify as the building continues to take shape over the coming months.
Jakob Pfaudler, chief executive at the AA, said the move to the new HQ aligned with its ambition to modernise the AA and supported its vision and environmental ambitions.
“This move will be somewhat bittersweet for us, marking the end of 50 years at our historic home of Fanum House, dating back to the late Queen opening the building in 1973,” added Pfaudler. “But at the same time it represents a key moment in transforming the AA into a fresh, flexible and modern company.”
Savills and Hollis Hockley are letting agents on Plant. Avison Young is adviser to the AA.
