NEWS in brief from the commercial property world.

Land sales at Runcorn
GOVERNMENT land agency English Partnerships has sold almost 12 acres of land in Runcorn for over £2m. An 11-acre site at Sector E Manor Park 3 has been sold for £1.9m to Commercial Development Projects while Sector A1, consisting of 0.98 acres, has been bought by Productivity Through Software for £186,000.

Library role
OLDHAM council has appointed EC Harris to lead a team to preparing a feasibility report for the third phase of the Oldham cultural quarter development - which will involve the conversion of the existing library building into a museum, local studies and archives centre.

Pension rules
MAJOR changes to pension rules are being brought into force on April 6 2006. For the first time investors will be able to put residential property, including buy-to-let properties, into their pension funds. Regulations governing pension fund borrowings are also being changed.

HMV lease
MUSIC retailer HMV has taken a ten-year lease on a 5,814 sq ft double unit at the Arcades Shopping Centre in Ashton under Lyne. Apollo Ashton LP, a joint venture between Hark Group and Apollo Real Estate, acquired the Arcades Shopping Centre in June 2005.

Delta price
DELTA Works, a 4,021-sq ft property at Chadwick Road, Manchester, has been sold for well in excess of the £125,000 guide price, say commercial property agents Eddisons.

Varsitytask
WHITE Young Green has been appointed to provide design services to the University of Manchester on a £13m extension to its chemistry laboratory.

New park
DERELICT land at the heart of Knowsley Industrial Estate will be transformed into a 28-acre business park after £3m of public sector funding was approved. Developers are Langtree Group.

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