Booths Park 6 reaches completion

Bruntwood Works has announced that Booths Park 6, the new hi-spec office space at the heart of Booths Park in Knutsford, has reached practical completion.

The building, delivered by GMI Construction Group, is set to become the new global headquarters for cybersecurity firm PortSwigger. It comprises 62,000 sq ft of new build floorspace set across two storeys, complete with timber cladding and landscaped gardens that have been designed to complement and blend into the surrounding woodland area. The new HQ will support PortSwigger’s goal of attracting the region’s best talent and accommodating future growth.

PortSwigger plans to expand its head count to more than 400 people over the coming years and the move marks a key step on that growth journey while allowing them to attract and retain the best talent. It is also a sign of confidence in the thriving business community of start-ups, growing businesses and established brands at Booths Park and demonstrates the demand for high-quality workspaces in Cheshire.

Designed by Sheila Bird Studio, and delivered by Workspace Design and Build, work will now begin work on the fit-out, which has been designed to encourage creativity and cross departmental collaboration through flexible workspaces and enhanced amenities, such as a new restaurant, gym and showers.

In-line with the completion of Booths Park 6, Bruntwood Works has also expanded its offering at Booths Park and improved the onsite facilities. This includes a brand-new wellbeing hub complete with classes from fitness studio Les Mills, new showers and a Cycle Score-accredited bike hub to complement the onsite food and drink offer, which includes a cafe and regular pop-ups from local independent traders.

Set in 220 acres of scenic Cheshire parkland, Booths Park has already attracted a number of high-growth businesses and global brands to the region, including Amec, De Poel and Mastercard, which has created a thriving community of like-minded businesses.

Andrew Cooke, strategic director at Bruntwood Works, said: “Booths Park is a fantastic community of businesses and the addition of PortSwigger only makes it more impressive. PortSwigger’s growth trajectory highlights the importance of high-quality office space in supporting company development, and we’re confident Booths Park 6 will be the perfect place for them to attract the region’s finest new talent.”

Marc Banks, divisional managing director at GMI Construction, added: “We are delighted to have worked on another fantastic and creative development with Bruntwood Works who are renowned for innovative, high-quality, contemporary office spaces. The project team has done a remarkable job as, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic over the last 12 months, they have successfully delivered this fantastic development to an incredibly high standard.”

Dafydd Stuttard, chief executive at PortSwigger, added: “This development will establish Knutsford as a centre of technical excellence in the North West region and lead to a large number of high-value jobs, including software engineers, researchers, technical product specialists and journalists.”

Booths Park is developed around the stunning Booths Hall, a manor house built in 1745, and features high-specification workspaces which are surrounded by landscaped gardens, jogging and cycling routes, a football pitch, a cricket club and two fishing lakes. Businesses are able to select a variety of flexible workspaces to suit their needs that range from two desks to 65,000 sq. ft., including all-inclusive serviced office space or a virtual office for smaller businesses just starting out.