Office park security was on the agenda when Secom plc went looking for new premises to house its North of England regional office in Leeds. The electronic security provider found the ideal location at Millshaw, a newly developed business park at Beeston – and then brought security in house by winning a contract to monitor and maintain the park’s outdoor CCTV system, as well as installing an intruder alarm for internal protection of the new Secom building.
Millshaw is the first ‘Business Living’ scheme developed by Leeds-based Evans Property Group for a mix of owner-occupiers and tenants. It consists of seven self-contained, two storey, A grade office units from 1,300 sq.ft to 1,600 sq.ft with dedicated parking. The development is near the White Rose Shopping Centre, and with access to motorways and Leeds city centre.
The park’s multi camera CCTV installation uses Secom’s Vision System, activated by motion sensors. Images are relayed to Secom’s Alarm Receiving Centre where operators assess whether activity is suspicious and if further action is required. This makes the system suitable the firm says for after hours security, and especially to protect lone workers or people working late.
Evans Group Property Manager executive Lucy Phillips says provision of security is a concern for suburban business park developers and companies buying or renting space. "Good security is a major sales tool – then later it provides ongoing peace of mind, like a physical insurance policy," she says. "The systems which Secom operates provide high levels of security without making access difficult for staff and legitimate visitors. Managers can lock up their buildings at the end of the day, confident that any form of unauthorised or anti-social behaviour on site overnight or at weekends will be recorded and acted upon if necessary. Because events are vetted by trained operators, police will not be burdened with false alarms."
Secom’s Leeds office accommodates the regional customer service and support staff, installation and maintenance engineers and key response officers. Regional Manager Phil Lamb says after 13 years at nearby Pudsey, the regional office had outgrown its facilities and needed a new base with capacity for further expansion. "We now have a much more vibrant and modern base for delivering an efficient service for our customers – and we have state-of-the-art security inside and outside," he says.
