THE AA has confirmed that it will move to a new Basingstoke premises – branded ‘green workspace’ – on a 15-year lease after signing a contract on its new headquarters.

As previously reported, it was announced in October that the AA would relocate to the former Mountbatten House site in Basing View after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council gave a green light for the car insurance company to surrender its lease for its historic headquarters – Fanum House.

The AA is expected to take occupation of 41,000 square feet of space at the new headquarters after this summer when the refurbishment is completed.

READ MORE: AA staying in Basingstoke as council decides to take on lease

Jakob Pfaudler, CEO of the AA, said: “I am delighted that we have signed the contract on Mountbatten House, Basing View, and committed to our future in Basingstoke. This move aligns with our ambition to modernise the AA and supports our vision and environmental ambitions.

Basingstoke Gazette: “This move will be somewhat bittersweet for us, marking the end of 50 years at our historic home of Fanum House, dating back to the late Queen opening the building in 1973. But at the same time, it represents a key moment in transforming The AA into a fresh, flexible and modern company.”

Mountbatten House in Basing View, known as the ‘hanging gardens of Basingstoke’, has been rebranded as ‘Plant’ and is currently being transformed into “one of the greenest workspaces in the southeast”.

A joint venture of Longstock Capital and Mactaggart Family & Partners, with the support of £33m development finance facility from Puma Property Finance, is redeveloping the remarkable building into a sustainable and cutting-edge workspace with a wellness offering and extensive amenities

The six-storey development was originally occupied by the paper manufacturer, Wiggins Teape, and comprises 150,000 sq. ft. including several unique features, most notably a series of cascading roof terraces designed by renowned horticulturist James Russell.

Mountbatten House, previously known as Gateway House, was developed by Arup Associates between 1974 and 1976 for Wiggins Teape to become its new UK headquarters.

The building was awarded listed status in 2015 because of its rarity in being an interesting and innovative late-1970s example of commercial office landscaping.

Fanum House was put on the market in December 2022 after the AA decided the 47-year-old building no longer meets its needs for a modern work environment.

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The property was marketed jointly by the council, as the freehold owner of the site, and the AA, which held a long lease on the property.

Following this, a council cabinet approved a proposal by the AA to allow the company to surrender the lease and relocate to the refurbished Mountbatten House.

William Laxton, CEO,  Mactaggart Family & Partners, said: “We look forward to welcoming The AA to their new home after the building completes in the summer. We have had healthy interest from the occupier market, which we expect to intensify as the building continues to take shape over the coming months.

"As a business of such high standing and significance in the UK, the AA taking a 15-year lease proves that businesses are happy to commit for the right assets, assets that genuinely satisfy the needs of employees and stakeholders in terms of environmental credentials, design quality, and occupier experience.”