Health board buys former Tesco building

THE site of the former Tesco call centre operation in Cardiff, which employed 1,100, has a new owner with plans to bring hundreds of staff into the building.

In the biggest office take up deal so far this year in Wales (excluding pre-lets), Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board has acquired the Tesco House building on Maes-y-Coed Road in Llanishen.

The building was occupied by Tesco for 25 years before it closed in February this year.

Property advisory firm JLL has sold the building on behalf of Oval Real to the health board for an undisclosed sum. It is understood the health board plans to move hundreds of existing administrative staff into the building.

Justin Millett, director of capital markets at JLL’s Cardiff office, said: “During marketing, we were approached by a number of speculative investors and developers considering alternative uses. We were, however, delighted to sell the building to the Cardiff and Vale Health Board as Oval Real Estate was keen to sell to a party that would bring jobs to the area after the disappointment of Tesco closing down its operation.”

Rhydian Morris, director of office agency at JLL said: “The purchase of the site by Cardiff and Vale is the largest single occupational transaction in the Cardiff offices market in 2018 (in terms of floor area) and is the largest out-of-town office deal for over five years.”