A SOUTHAMPTON legal firm has let its offices to a global consultancy firm in one of the city’s biggest recent office deals.

PwC will move into Bond Dickinson’s city centre offices while its own city headquarters undergoes major refurbishment work.

The deal, completed with assistance from Hampshire property consultants JLL and Realest, will see the firm move into the 10,000sq ft third floor of Oceana House.

Commercial law firm Bond Dickinson, which employs 153 people in the city and recently announced a seven per cent increase in turnover to £106.4m for 2014/15, has agreed a short-term let basis with PwC while the firm’s building at Ocean Village is refurbished.

Jon Hales, Southampton office head at Bond Dickinson, said: “Our Southampton office is going from strength to strength with our lawyers advising on numerous high profile transactions during the last year, including the £450m regeneration scheme of Southampton’s Royal Pier waterfront on behalf of both Associated British Ports and The Crown Estate and advising on two key energy projects for longstanding client, Renewable Energy Generation Limited (REG).”

Steve Williams, director of Realest, said: “While we have seen a good improvement in enquiry levels for city centre offices, securing tenants has been challengingwith a number of parties opting to move out of the city centre to the region’s business parks.”

“Although the letting to PwC is only for the short term, it allows the company to commit to Southampton on a long term basis which is very encouraging for the market and the city alike.”

Nella Pang, associate director at JLL, said: “The last two office development sites in Southampton are rumoured to be applying for alternative use, which leaves no new office space in the city centre in the foreseeable future.Therefore competition for refurbished quality accommodation is high due to the lack of suitable alternative options.

“We are advising our clients who are seeking to relocate to commence their negotiations early to avoid disappointment."

“We believe that landlords who take early action and press the button on providing high quality refurbishments will prosper.

“This trend is certainly now playing out with a number of existing JLL and Realest high quality refurbished office instructions in the city centre under offer.”