Market Insight

USS appoint JLL and Vail Williams to market Aquis House, Reading

March 2, 2016

Universities Superannuation Scheme Ltd (USS), which operates one of the largest pension schemes in the United Kingdom, has appointed JLL and Vail Williams as joint office leasing agents at Aquis House, Reading.

The joint agents will be marketing vacant grade A spaces ranging from 2,736 to 27,796 sq ft at Aquis House, one of Reading’s most central office buildings. The building is located directly opposite the mainline railway station and just a short walk to Reading’s main shops and restaurants and The Oracle Shopping Centre.

Recently refurbished throughout, the 50,000 sq ft four storey office building features high quality finishes and attractive facilities for the modern occupier. It includes brand new showers with lockers, secure bike parking and additional basement storage.

Current tenants at Aquis House include Hammerson, occupying the fourth floor since 2014, when it sought to enlarge its Reading presence. Aquis House is also home to national audit, tax and advisory firm Crowe Clark Whitehill’s Reading office.

Ollie McLeod, senior surveyor, South East Office Agency at JLL said: “The recent refurbishment of the property has produced a high quality office building with modern onsite amenities that is located directly opposite the entrance to Reading’s railway station and conveniently close to the main retail and leisure facilities.

“This property, with its prime location and unrivalled surface level car parking spaces, offers the right mix to appeal to a wide range of occupiers.”

Charlie Nicholson, Partner, Vail Williams LLP, said: “The building is tailored to suit the modern occupier with efficient floorplates, as well as on-site facilities that cater for keen cyclists and runners.

“Aquis House benefits from excellent broadband capabilities and the striking new reception acts as an inspiring gateway to aid employees in the transition from their hectic lives into the workplace.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

About Universities Superannuation Scheme

Universities Superannuation Scheme was established in 1975 as the principal defined benefit pension scheme for universities and other higher education institutions in the UK. It has over 330,000 scheme members across nearly 400 institutions and is the largest private pension scheme in the UK, with total fund assets of approximately £48 billion, of which property assets total approximately £2.6bn.

The scheme’s trustee is Universities Superannuation Scheme Limited, a corporate trustee which provides scheme management and trusteeship from its offices based in Liverpool and London. The trustee company delegates implementation of its investment strategy to a wholly-owned investment management subsidiary company – USS Investment Management Limited – which provides both investment management and advisory services.

USS’s property portfolio is part of an overall strategy to develop private market investment opportunities that fit well with the scheme’s long-term pension liabilities.

For more information on Universities Superannuation Scheme please go to www.uss.co.uk.