At Roche Chartered Surveyors our market knowledge and award-winning pro-active service are recognised by commercial property occupiers, landlords, developers and investors. Our client relationships are at the heart of everything we do.
2022 Highlights
Valued
of property for clients and lenders
Sold
53,000 sq ft Grade A business centre on 5.7 acres
Awarded
East Anglia’s No. 1 retail letting agent......again.
Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6HE
Land / Development
0 acres
To Let
Norwich, Norfolk, NR5 9AA
Office
579 sqft
To Let
South Woodham Ferrers, Essex, CM3 5TB
Retail - High Street
837 sqft
To Let
Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 5DR
Investment
1,865 sqft
For Sale
North Walsham, Norfolk, NR28 0NB
Office
10,215 sqft
For Sale, To Let
Norwich, Norfolk, NR6 6HQ
Investment
71,619 sqft
For Sale
Norwich, NR2 4SX
Office
2,190 sqft
To Let
Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3NY
Office
821 sqft
To Let
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner
Partner - Building Surveyor
Building Surveyor
Commercial Surveyor
Agency Assistant
Sam is the Managing Partner and has been with Roche since 2003. He works across occupational agency, investment and development and is a RICS Registered Valuer.
He prides himself on providing honest, straightforward advice and having worked in the commercial market for over 20 years in Norwich, he has a strong track record with sound market knowledge and an understanding of the drivers affecting the local economy.
Career highlights include acting for a private investor in the sale of a £15 million office portfolio and working on the development of Briar Park, a multi-use business park, with car sales, trade counter and traditional business uses.
Sam works for a number of major landowners and funds including: Columbia Threadneedle, Chancerygate, Kames, Anglian Windows and Tesco. Local investors and developers include: Dencora, Peter Colby Commercial and Tilia.
Outside of work Sam likes sailing on the Norfolk coast and competing in ultra-running and triathlon events – having completed the Marathon Des Sables.
M: 07796 262472
T: 01603 756333
Services:
Agency (Retail & Leisure)
Lease Advisory
Adrian is a Partner in the firm and responsible for the retail and leisure departments which are branded under “Roche Retail”. The retail Department has won the EGi most active retail and leisure agent for East Anglia for 8 years and was recently awarded No.1 retail letting agent in East Anglia by Trevor Wood Associates.
Adrian is an expert in shopping centre, high street and out of town retail leasing, professional work, investment agency and active asset enhancement/management. He has worked on many regeneration projects including Anglia Square in Norwich and Friary Street in Guildford that have both focussed on turning outdated real estate into assets for the future.
Adrian enjoys advising on strategic asset enhancement by maximising client income not just for the short term but by providing a stable income flow for the future.
Current clients include: Columbia Threadneedle, Aviva, Aberdeen Standard, Ellandi, Legal and General, Waypoint, Infra Red and Warren James.
Prior to joining Roche in 2004 Adrian worked at Cushman & Wakefield (Healey & Baker) for 20 years where he was the Partner responsible for the South of England retail & leisure team, as well as the Netherlands, where he was based for 7 years as Head of Retail.
A keen cyclist in his spare time, Adrian rode from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2012 and 2018.
M: 07880 975250
T: 01603 756334
A partner at Roche, James Allen joined in 1989 and has over 30 years’ experience working in commercial property.
James deals with agency transactions, principally in the office, industrial and distribution sectors, including advising on new developments, investments and company relocations. He has handled major disposals for clients including Jewson, BT and Associated British Ports and has dealt with many of Norwich’s office buildings and industrial estates. He has advised firms such as Howes Percival and Savills on recent office relocations.
James has been involved in the 300-acre Broadland Business Park, Norwich’s leading business development, since 1998 when it was a greenfield site. Initially providing development advice to guide the plans for the scheme, James has played a part in virtually all the subsequent transactions. The Park is still expanding and now boasts approximately one million square feet of floorspace which house over 4,000 employees.
Outside work, having previously played hockey, squash and football, James takes a keen interest in sports, following the fortunes of Norwich City, North Walsham Rugby Club and the England cricket team, as well as keeping fit – he walks part of the Norfolk coast most weekends.
M: 07778 297298
T: 01603 756332
Services:
Agency (Retail & Leisure)
Agency (Office & Industrial)
Lease Advisory
Valuation & Professional Services
Graham is a Partner at Roche and has over 15 years’ experience in dealing with commercial property. Graham splits his time between general commercial agency across the office, industrial, retail and leisure sectors and the firm’s lease advisory department undertaking rent reviews, lease renewals and general lease consultancy work. He is also an RICS registered valuer and carries out valuations for a wide range of lenders and clients.
Graham enjoys a diverse role advising both landlords and tenants/occupiers and in particular likes helping clients restructure their property holdings to suit their requirements. Career highlights include acting for the landlords in the letting of a 40,000 sq ft grade A office building in Norwich prior to the landlord incurring any void costs and which was the largest office letting in the city for a decade. Current projects include assisting two property companies improve their industrial estate portfolio assets values by restructuring the lease profiles and acting for a national pub company in regional freehold pub disposals.
Current clients include: Ei Group/Stonegate, East of England Co-op, Lothbury Investment Management, Mileway, Canmoor, Breckland Council and Stenprop.
Outside of work Graham enjoys keeping fit by running and swimming and is a (very) keen golfer.
M: 07496 164609
T: 01603 756338
Services:
Building Consultancy
David is a Partner at Roche and heads the Project and Building Consultancy department. David has more than 14 years’ experience in dealing with a broad range of commercial property instructions.
He has worked for clients ranging from major international property funds, pension investors and blue-chip companies to single investors and local authorities. Clients have included M&G, Ministry of Justice, NHS and local school academy trusts.
David has considerable experience in all areas of commercial property building surveying, specialising in dilapidations, refurbishment of commercial property and due diligence surveys. Notable instructions include settling a £700,000 office dilapidations claim against a multi-national occupier, project managing a £2m refurbishment of a manufacturing plant and an acquisition survey of a Grade II Listed local landmark building.
Additionally, David supports the RICS as a trained assessor for the Assessment of Professional Competence examination.
Outside of work David is kept busy with a young family but finds time to be a Norwich City Football Club season ticket holder and go on (steady) lunchtime runs
M: 07469 392530
T: 01603 756335
Services:
Building Consultancy
Sam Freakley is a qualified Building Surveyor at Roche, having joined the business in 2018. He has a Masters in Building Surveying, joined the firm as a Graduate Surveyor and qualified in 2021.
His time is spent as an active member of the Project and Building Consultancy department with his main duties including building surveys, project management, reinstatement cost assessments, schedule of condition surveys, dilapidation surveys, and party wall negotiations. Sam has experience in numerous projects to date, including overseeing a multi-hundred-thousand-pound fit-out contract of a 44,000 sq ft multi-let office building in Norwich city centre.
Sam also brings with him a broad range of experience from his previous career as an environmental consultant and from his practical experience of the residential construction industry.
In his spare time, he enjoys running, cycling and swimming (preferably in the sea if it’s warm enough).
M: 07393 583072
T: 01603 756342
Ben joined Roche in 2020 and qualified as a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in November 2022, having successfully completed the RICS assessment of professional competence. Ben graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2019 achieving BSc (Hons) in Commercial Real Estate. He is actively involved in agency and professional work at Roche advising a number of clients across the office, industrial and retail sectors.
Outside of work Ben loves to travel, a recent highlight being a trip to Malaysia and Singapore. Although he enjoys most sports, he has a particular love of Rugby and Cricket (he considers himself a useful bowler).
M: 07917 762230
T: 01603 756340
Hiedi joined Roche in November 2022 as part of the Agency team, in a part time supportive role. She obtained her AssocRICS qualification in Commercial Real Estate in March 2021.
Hiedi has worked in both Residential and Commercial Property for over 12 years and during that period has worked for several firms in the private sector putting her knowledge to good use. Her friendly and approachable personality is something the clients and applicants appreciate.
During her time with Roche Hiedi has also assisted the Property Management Department and continues to offer support.
Outside of work Hiedi enjoys walking and socialising. She is also a dog carer, looking after customer’s dogs whilst their owners are on holiday. She is also an advocate for sustainable energy and works to offset her carbon footprint along the way.
M: 07474 469929
T: 01603 756343
News — November 2023
Last week, we were delighted to host the Annual Property Seminar alongside Price Bailey and Birketts LLP.
News — August 2023
Acting on behalf of regional investors Pigeon, Roche swiftly secure the letting of a 24,912 sq ft warehouse to DX, prior to major refurbishment works being undertaken.
News — May 2023
Roche have completed the off-market sale of a 8,313 sq ft warehouse/trade counter unit on the popular Rash's Green Industrial Estate in Dereham, Norfolk.
News — March 2023
Roche Retail are delighted to announce the completion of 3 new retail lettings totalling over 1,600 sq ft at the Britten Centre in Lowestoft.
News — January 2023
Local restaurateurs choose social and leisure destination for latest opening. The restaurant has taken 3,462 sq ft of space within the Timberhill Terrace area of Castle Quarter, where it joins existing occupiers such as escape room operator Escape Hunt and cinema Vue.
News — January 2023
Roche Retail have completed a quintuple of new retail lettings in The Burghley Centre, Bourne, in 4 months.
News — December 2022
Roche Chartered Surveyors are pleased to announce that Graduate Surveyor Ben Common has successfully completed his assessment of professional competence and has been awarded MRICS status by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
News — November 2022
Roche Retail have just completed a new letting to The Gym of Unit 2, Pasteur Road, Great Yarmouth. The property was formally occupied by Bensons For Beds.
News — October 2022
Roche Chartered Surveyors have recently acted in the disposal of office accommodation at Rosebery Court at St Andrews Business Park, Norwich on flexible terms.
News — October 2022
Roche Chartered Surveyors acted in the acquisition of 1 Wendover Road, for the new Rackheath veterinary surgery in an off-market transaciton.
Last week, we were delighted to host the Annual Property Seminar alongside Price Bailey and Birketts LLP. Held at Norwich City FC, the event provided a round-up of the property market and was attended by 100 people from within the industry.
Ben Common, our Commercial Surveyor, and Sam Kingston, Partner at Roche, gave a retail market update, looking into the causes of high street vacancies and transactional activity in Norwich, as well as providing the latest on the office and industrial market.
“It was another great event this year and wonderful to see so many faces. Our most notable takeaway for our region was that Norwich remains resilient and while the market remains difficult, Norwich continues to outperform its size. Norwich’s success lies in its ability to evolve, retaining and attracting occupiers and multiple retailers within its large independent shopping scene,”
Sam Kingston, Partner at RocheThank you to Ellie Coulson, CEO at The Hamlet Charity, who opened the seminar by discussing how donations can make a difference to their Norwich based charity. Thank you also to Kristian Nelson and Deborah Sharples from Birketts for providing a thoughtful and insightful update on Nutrient Neutrality and Biodiversity Net Gain. Also to Matt Howard, Partner and Head of the Insolvency and Recovery team at Price Bailey, and Steven Butcher, Director in the Tax team, for their talks on purchasing property out of insolvency and considerations for high level tax in relation to commercial property.
Acting on behalf of Pigeon (Caley Close) Limited Roche were instructed to market units 2 & 3 Caley Close which comprises two adjacent warehouse units on the Sweet Briar Industrial Estate in Norwich.
The units were both subject to leases at the time but both the existing tenants had confirmed their intention to vacate the premises at lease end – one due to losing their works contract and the other to relocate into recently acquired freehold premises. The client had agreed to carry out a comprehensive refurbishment programme including the re-roofing of unit 2.
Roche were aware of a requirement from national courier DX for additional premises in Norwich and how units 2 & 3 Caley Close might be a good fit. At the outset of the marketing Roche liaised with DX and subsequently agreed terms for a new 15-year lease and a rent significantly higher than the historic passing rents.
Graham Jones of Roche, the lead agent in the transaction commented: “The deal was well-timed as terms were agreed prior to the refurbishment works being carried out, which gave the client confidence to complete the works and led to there being no significant tenancy void. It was doubly pleasing that the resultant letting helped underpin Pigeon’s significant expenditure in the property creating a secure, high-yielding, long-term investment whilst also satisfying DX’s long-standing requirement, providing them with a cost-effective alternative to a new-build.”
Roche have completed the off-market sale of a 8,313 sq ft warehouse/trade counter unit on the popular Rash’s Green Industrial Estate in Dereham, Norfolk. The sale followed advice provided to the vendor as the then tenant was in the process of relocating to a smaller unit and the vendor was considering the long-term future of the property. Roche’s expert knowledge of the local market meant the client was made aware at an early stage of a very active local business seeking to acquire more warehouse space in the Dereham area. Graham Jones of Roche, who brokered the deal, comments: “after advising on the disposal options and values it soon became clear that the local purchaser was going to be a very good fit for the property and we were delighted for all involved that a relatively quick, unconditional sale was concluded at a record price on the estate reflecting the continued strength of the industrial and warehousing sector.”
Roche Retail are delighted to announce the completion of 3 new retail lettings totalling over 1,600 sq ft at the Britten Centre in Lowestoft. The lettings provide a range of new offerings at the shopping centre which include the jewellery retailer Lovey Dovey, the Phone Repair Centre and the new locally based café operator Sizzlers. The lettings signal the continued demand and popularity of the 100,000 sq ft shopping centre which remains at the heart of Lowestoft’s shopping scene.
Castle Quarter – Norwich’s leading social, leisure and lifestyle destination – has further strengthened its dining offer with the arrival of Italian restaurant and cocktail bar Silhouette.
The restaurant has taken 3,462 sq ft of space within the Timberhill Terrace area of Castle Quarter, where it joins existing occupiers such as escape room operator Escape Hunt and cinema Vue.
The arrival of Silhouette further enhances what is already central Norwich’s leading leisure, social and lifestyle destination, with other occupiers including Boom Battle Bar, Putt Putt Noodle, Spy Missions, Superbowl and Vue, as well as Castle Social, a new ‘market hall’ style street food and entertainment concept.
Silhouette is the second East Anglia venture of business partners Carlos Magalhaes and Fabio Rodrigues, who opened Il Salvadore in Brandon, Suffolk in 2019, which has quickly become a firm dining favourite. A comprehensive fitout has created the sumptuous décor and quirky design that is a hallmark of Silhouette’s style, including neon signs and a dramatic flower wall. The menu will highlight exceptional produce, including locally-sourced meats, baked pasta dishes and fresh fish.
Adrian Fennell at Roche Retail, the letting agents with Jamieson Mills said: “Silhouette is a fantastic addition to Castle Quarter, particularly as part of the Timberhill Terrace area, and further enhances the cluster of dining and entertainment options that has established the scheme as Norwich’s leading social, leisure and lifestyle destination. Carlos and Fabio have a fantastic restaurant track record, and we look forward to Silhouette becoming one of the pillars of Norwich’s growing dining scene.”
Located adjacent to Norwich Castle in the city centre, Castle Quarter is a unique destination offering visitors a range of social, leisure and lifestyle experiences. Totalling 387,000 sq ft of space and incorporating one of the city centre’s main car parks, Castle Quarter offers unrivalled options for people to enjoy themselves.
Roche Retail have completed a quintuple of new retail lettings in The Burghley Centre, Bourne, in 4 months. The 5 new lettings comprise over 30% of The Burghley Centre which totals 32,000 sq ft of retail accommodation.
The 5 new tenants are Costa Coffee, The Yorkshire Trading Company, Bourne Toys, A1 Motor Stores and Bourne Bridal. The lettings add a very strong mix of national and local retailers that join The Burghley Centre, which is anchored by a 12,000 sq ft M&S and a 160 space surface car park.
Roche Retail acted for the landlord throughout, together with their joint agent Mason Partners. Adrian Fennell of Roche Retail commented that to achieve lettings to 5 new retailers in such a short period was testament to the success of Bourne as a retail centre and the vibrancy of the local economy. The units ranged in size from 900 sq ft (84 sq m) to 3,000 sq ft (278 sq m). The centre is now fully let.
Roche Chartered Surveyors are pleased to announce that Graduate Surveyor Ben Common has successfully completed his assessment of professional competence and has been awarded MRICS status by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The APC is a formal assessment process, following a two year training period to ensure surveyors have the professional competence required to achieve chartership. The award demonstrates a mark of professionalism and expertise across the industry. Ben will continue to work across a number of areas within the business with a particular focus on agency within the retail, industrial and office sectors.
Roche Retail have just completed a new letting to The Gym of Unit 2, Pasteur Road, Great Yarmouth. The property was formally occupied by Bensons For Beds and comprised a retail unit over ground and mezzanine levels totalling 9,316 sq ft.
Roche Retail acted for the landlord and agreed a surrender of Bensons For Beds lease and following refurbishment, the property was let to The Gym on a new 15 year lease, which was the company’s 4th outlet in Norfolk.
Adrian Fennell commented “it is positive news that our client was responsive to the evolving retail market and we were therefore able to secure a long letting to a prime leisure operator that would additionally offer a much needed facility for Great Yarmouth which is a growing offshore energy hub, tourist destination and port.”
Roche Chartered Surveyors have recently acted in the disposal of office accommodation at Rosebery Court at St Andrews Business Park, Norwich. The offices have been acquired by an engineering contractor who took the space on a short term lease. The flexibility provided by the landlord was key to attracting the occupier who wanted to align their property contract with their works contract.
Roseberry Court is a large multi-let office majority let to the Government.
Sam Kingston of Roche, who acted for the landlord, commented “providing flexibility enabled the landlord to give the occupier what they required and at the same time increase the rent to take account of the flexibility. The office market is still in a state of flux, so landlords offering flexible terms, when necessary, can be an effective way of attracting tenants whilst also maintaining rental levels/values“
Roche Chartered Surveyors acted in the acquisition of 1 Wendover Road, for the new Rackheath veterinary surgery. The property has been acquired by a former Partner of Westover Vets, who is setting up the new practice.
The property was never formally on the market, but was acquired by Roche, who were aware that the owners would consider selling. Sound local knowledge was paramount in bringing together an off-market transaction. The vendors of the property remain in occupation of the 1st floor and the ground floor is being redesigned to provide the accommodation for the vets.
Sam Kingston of Roche, who acted for the purchaser, commented “the purchaser had looked at various opportunities for some time but was struggling to find anything suitable. Bringing together the vendor and purchaser for a property which was perfectly located for the new vets was a great result for all”
