Challenge accepted

With the continued popularity of hybrid working and co-working, serviced office specialists Landmark Property Solutions is making its mark in the Milton Keynes business community with the major refurbishment of its flagship location Challenge House

Challenge House, a three-storey business hub is home to numerous regional and international companies opting for a serviced office solution and engaging environments for their teams. It recently underwent an extensive refurbishment, with the substantial investment of the independent, family-owned company Landmark. The project has transformed Challenge House, which meets the business’ aim of making “a transition to fit into the working world of today”.

Located near Bletchley train station, Challenge House is supporting business growth in the region by providing serviced office solutions for companies looking to benefit from the Governments plans for the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor’s rail network. The proposed links between Cambridge and Oxford will, according to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, contribute £78billion to the UK economy by 2035 with the creation of “Europe’s Silicon Valley”. Significant investment and redevelopment in the region is already driving an increase in businesses locating to the area.

Challenge House offers 70 managed office spaces, accommodating anything from three to 80 work stations, and is suitable for large multinational companies, national and local businesses, the growing co-working community. It can even meet a rise in demand for virtual offices, allowing businesses to pay a monthly rolling contract to provide greater flexibility.

Navraj Johal, Chief Marketing Officer for Landmark and a member of The Flexible Space Association, describes the latest transportation developments within the Oxford – Cambridge Arc as boosting business opportunities in the region.

“Developments within the Oxford – Cambridge Arc means Challenge House is perfectly placed as it’s situated within the middle of the route. This is a niche point for us, as we are the only serviced office business centre in Bletchley, which is why increasingly high-profile clients are choosing us.

“The substantial investment in the extensive recent refurbishment has totally transformed Challenge House, which is reflected in the clientele it is attracting, including prestigious companies such as KPMG and Zoho.

“Our approach is to blend new ways of working with a business class experience. We’re seeing a significant shift in the number of global companies now looking at Bletchley as their business base, which is fantastic for the region’s business community.”

PHASED TRANSFORMATION

When it came to undertaking the transformation, Challenge House presented some key challenges. The refurbishment required meticulous planning and phased works over several months to ensure minimum disruption to clients based at the business hub in Sherwood Drive, Bletchley.

It was a team effort, requiring everyone within the company to take on new tasks beyond their day-to-day duties. Taking inspiration from leading London workplaces, the vision was to overhaul offices, revamp rooms, install new tech, replace all lighting, renovate bathrooms, replace flooring and furniture and add artwork and plants throughout.

The revamp also included the installation of a Podcast Room offering state-of-the-art equipment. This resulted in the creation of design-led, functional, professional places and breakout spaces that inspire creativity and productivity.

First impressions count and the team went from creating a Pinterest mood board of concepts to ensuring the major refurbishment ran smoothly. Tackling the area that greets clients and visitors on arrival, a completely new manned reception area was created that incorporates a new waiting area, with large, sumptuous sofas, TV and new flooring.

The extensive works didn’t require a raft of external suppliers as Landmark utilised the expertise of its own in-house teams including a tech team, engineers and a maintenance team located onsite.

The visionary team tackling the transformation and managing the works consisted of Navraj Johal, who was joined by Business Development Manager Manvir Rahal, Financial Director Kiran Rahal and Kaye Townsend, Business Centre Manager of Challenge House.

Manvir Rahal said: “We’re renowned for providing exceptional high quality private workspaces and facility management services for companies of all sizes across a range of industries. Therefore it was important the refurbishment delivered professional spaces for clients and visitors to enjoy, feel comfortable, be inspired but also have access to the latest technology.

“This is in line with the trend and transition from office space being traditional office space to feeling more like a homely experience with an aesthetic you might see at home.”