It can be no coincidence that Daleks once skimmed menacingly along the passageways of IBM.
The starkness of the building would have been the perfect backdrop to cries of ‘Exterminate!’ in a world that is both past and future at the same time.
Almost 30 years after Doctor Who was filmed at the former headquarters of IBM, the building is still standing stark against the North Harbour skyline, and is still spanning Portsmouth’s past and Portsmouth’s future.
Not only does it now boast a soaring glass atrium at its entrance, but it is also undergoing a giant one million square foot expansion or, to put it in context, it will get about 20 football pitches bigger.
IBM still has its British headquarters on the site, but in a smaller corner of what will become the Lakeside North Harbour Business Park.
The old building – that Doctor Who set – is now called 1000 Lakeside and is now home to a raft of firms.
It has also seen the opening of Portsmouth’s first sports car dealership, with Porsche opening a custom-designed building on the edge of the park, as well as a day nursery on site.
It’s also got a new retail hub, which was built by Portsmouth construction firm Warings.
That’s already seen a Southern Co-operative shop open within it, a florist, and a hair salon.
Laura Ott, director of Hair OTT, said: ‘We opened last Monday and it came about because we opened our salon in Waterlooville and the agent we used for that mentioned about the space at Lakeside.
‘This is new to us, being off the high street, but it just looked amazing.
‘Our customers are all the people in the Lakeside offices, and IBM, and the location is fantastic, just off the motorway.
‘We can also give our customers free parking, which we can’t in our high street salons.’
Work is also under way for a Starbucks to open within the hub, which is at the entrance to the 1000 Lakside building.
The business park’s sales, marketing and client liaison manager, Karen Tyrrell, said the changes being made to the site were proving popular with businesses moving to Portsmouth.
She added: ‘It’s been a great start to 2013, with our retail hub already 80 per cent let, and good interest in the remaining units.’
But what of the future?
Permission has been granted for a De Vere hotel to be built on a 3.1 acre plot of land on the site.
It is hoped the hotel will serve the business community which will flock to Portsmouth as a result of this and other investment being made in the city.
Nick Turner, asset management director for Highcross, which bought the site from IBM in 2005, said: ‘The De Vere Group’s plan to locate one of its Village Urban Resorts at Lakeside North Harbour is great news, and reflects the strengths of the park’s excellent location, attractive environment and expanding business community.’
He added: ‘We are now focusing on the opportunities for the development of bespoke office schemes along the lakeside, with outline planning consent already in place for high quality office buildings of up to 200,000 sq ft.’
Elsewhere the park is to go green with the installation of wind turbines, which will help pay the massive development’s electricity bills.
It will also feature restaurants, a care home and a medical centre – presumably not run by the Doctor, or any of his assistants.
FUTURISTIC
THE future has arrived at a Lakeside North Harbour – and it’s powered by electricity.
The city’s first electric vehicle charging stations have been installed at the business park.
A Type 2 fast charging station together with a 13-amp, three-pin charging station are now available in the Park and Ride, for use by the public for free.
The new facility has been donated by Zero Carbon World as part of its programme to help reduce the nation’s carbon emissions through the adoption of electric vehicles.
Highcross is funding the installation and running costs, and worked closely on the initiative with technology giant IBM.
IBM global strategy consultant, Grant Thomas, who works from home in Emsworth and drives an all-electric Nissan Leaf said: ‘This new facility means that I also have the added flexibility of leaving the car to recharge at Lakeside while I am working on site or returning from a business trip.
Highcross has also bought a further Type 2 fast charging station specifically for employees at IBM’s UK headquarters and other companies based at the Lakeside North Harbour business park.
Lakeside’s Karen Tyrrell said the scheme offered an ‘important incentive for people working at the park to consider the benefits of electric cars’.
DONATING
EMPLOYEES working at Lakeside are being bled dry during their working day.
More than 100 blood donations have been given in three sessions run by NHS Blood and Transplant the business park.
The latest session saw 34 donors coming forward.
Lakeside’s Karen Tyrrell said: ‘We have been delighted by the great support from our occupiers for our new blood donor drive.
‘With every unit of blood donated saving or improving the lives of up to three people, it’s a vital service.’
The blood service has praised the business park for running the initiative.
John Canning, lead donor relations manager for the area, said: ‘The need for blood is constant and we are really happy to be working with Lakeside North Harbour for these sessions.
‘We know that some people like to be able to donate blood near to where they work and you can see how successful this is by looking at the figures in the past few sessions here.
‘We hope that all the new blood donors continue their commitment to blood donation, whether that is at this session or at others.
‘Remember, what may only be an hour or so of your time, can help to save someone’s life.’
Seventy-five companies are now based at Lakeside North Harbour business park.
GROCERIES
THERE is a saying that whenever someone is trying to navigate around Portsmouth, never tell them to turn by the Co-op.
That’s because in Portsmouth, as the city where the Southern Co-operative began, there seems to be one on every corner.
And now another one has opened – but this time it’s a touch different.
This opening has been a little out of the ordinary, because the new shop is outside the firm’s headquarters at the Lakeside North Harbour business park.
The shop is part of a new retail hub which has been built as part of the business park’s expansion and will serve some of the thousands of employees which are based there.
It was opened by Pompey legend Linvoy Primus, who is just as much of a city treasure as the retailer.
The firm’s Sophie Boxall said: ‘The opening was a good event and we had a good turnout of people.
‘What’s good as well is that it has a food bank within it, which means we now have six in Portsmouth.’
As part of the opening ceremony, which has created 16 new jobs locally, the grocery chain donated £250 of food to the charity, as well as £250 in cash to Linvoy’s charity, Faith & Football.
The shop is going from strength to strength and joins the firm’s 160-strong chain of grocery shops across the south and Linvoy was joined by chief executive Mark Smith for the grand opening.
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