Knutsford tech company set to relocate to Booths Park

Plans to create a new purpose-built office space for local business, PortSwigger, at Booths Park in Knutsford have been submitted to Cheshire East Council.

If given the green light, the proposed building – Booths Park 6 – will comprise more than 65,000 sq ft of floorspace set across two storeys, complete with landscaped garden areas that align with the local surroundings.

Knutsford-based cybersecurity specialist PortSwigger is set to relocate to the Bruntwood Works-owned business park, following a significant period of growth.

The plans, for which outline permission was granted in 2014, will allow PortSwigger to continue to expand in the coming years, with the building having the capacity to house up to 400 staff.

Currently based at Victoria Court, PortSwigger has outlined ambitious plans to grow its workforce from 50 to 200 within the next three years alone, placing talent development at the top of its agenda.

Keen to encourage creativity and cross-departmental collaboration, PortSwigger is working with Bruntwood Works and Calderpeel Architects to create a workspace that includes collaborative working environment, gym, showers and restaurant.

Dafydd Stuttard, CEO of PortSwigger, said: "We're very excited by this opportunity to create a modern workplace in Knutsford for our growing team. Knutsford is our home and our preference is to stay here.

“The new development at Booths Park 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."
Sharon Johnson, head of commercial at Bruntwood Works, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be working hand-in-hand with PortSwigger to help create a purpose-built workspace that allows them to grow and truly flourish for the future.

“Collaboration and community are at our core, values which perfectly align with those of Dafydd and his team, so we are looking forward to having them grow with us and help to build on their success.

“The team is extremely talented and has a fantastic future ahead of them, so we’re thrilled to be part of their journey.”

Set in 220 acres of scenic parkland, Booths Park is a thriving business community of start-ups, growing businesses and established brands, including Amec, De Poel and Mastercard.

Complete with two fishing lakes, a jogging route, football pitch and cricket ground, the estate offers companies a vast selection of amenities on site, coupled with a robust business support package to facilitate their growth.

Booths Park 6 will be the first of three office buildings already having outline planning permission.

Acting on behalf of PortSwigger, David Laws, Partner at Matthews and Goodman, added: “This is a fantastic opportunity for PortSwigger to remain in Knutsford and continue to take its business from strength to strength in a striking, purpose-built workplace in a picturesque and highly regarded business park.

“With staff engagement and wellbeing at the heart of the requirement, the whole team have worked immensely hard to create an exceptional modern workplace that will allow the business to attract and retain the very best people. This is an excellent deal for the wider South Manchester office market, unequivocally demonstrating that fast growing tech companies do not have to head into Manchester city centre to fulfil their ambitions and growth projections.”