ALTYRE BUSINESS CENTRE

 

Altyre’s intentions for renewal, modernisation and for re-energising the local economy are most evident in its plans to redevelop a unique built asset – the Italianate-themed Blairs Farm Steading. In many ways the transformation of the Steading is a metaphor for Altyre at large. This will provide the type of high quality business accommodation that Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Moray Council have urged as a fundamental requirement to attract inward investment and new enterprise into the region. The Estate has already invested significantly since 2002 in assessing and establishing this new role for Blairs Farm Steading and the project is now underway with early expressions of occupier interest. The aim is to have the Altyre Business Centre in place as we emerge from recession in the Summer of 2010. 

In 1834, the Estate commissioned the neo-classical architect Archibald Simpson to design a new model steading to reflect the Tuscan buildings he had admired on the Grand Tour. Listed Grade A in October 1976, Blairs Farm Steading is unique in the UK and comprises a pair of 2 storey cottages -Tower Cottages; ‘a commanding Italianate 4-stage Tower’; a Cart Shed with 6 high round headed cart bays and Granary; Pond Cottage; East Range; North Range; and Club Room and Associated Cart Bays. The Steading is described by Historic Scotland as a “most unusual complex of outstanding interest.” Extensive consultations were held with Moray Council and with Historic Scotland to ensure that its imminent redevelopment as a rural enterprise centre would restore and safeguard Simpson’s original vision.

 

 

 

The proposed development will see the removal of modern extensions and the reinstatement and restoration of the original external envelope. A high quality landscaped setting appropriate to the buildings will be introduced. The development will benefit from state of art digital connectivity and highly responsive IT customer services. Intention is to position Altyre as a leading rural champion in the Moray economy. We are particularly keen to attract knowledge-based, high tech and science-based clusters to Altyre. The business centre will provide 13,000 sq ft net of high quality office space capable of subdivision as 10-14 separate business units. These have been designed to meet typically the needs of SME’s employing around 5-6 people. However, adjoining units can also be linked and ‘grouped’ to meet the spatial requirements of larger employers.

Flexibility is a key feature of the design and is characteristic of Altyre’s approach to clients and to ongoing management. It is our intention to help nurture our business occupiers and to put in place the infrastructure, facilities and services that will enable them to grow. We see this as a basic building block in the generation of GVA for the Estate and for our tenant businesses. They will, therefore, also enjoy facilities extraneous to their offices.

 

The former cricket pavilion will be restored and equipped to provide a shared multi space, extending to 1600 sq ft. Business occupiers will be able to use this variously as a meeting place, board room, exhibition and product launch space, function room and catering venue, seminar suite and small conference and training facility. This is intended to provide a highly cost effective solution to the client and public-facing needs of small businesses who might not otherwise be able to afford this type and quality of facility. It can play a significant part in client care and business generation.

 

This facility will also be available to the local community in Moray to use at commercial rates for social events such as weddings, private dinners and gatherings, presentations, community functions etc and we expect this in due course to offer continuing part-time employment to a small team of catering and events staff.