Saul Western
Partner, Head of Commercial
Providing thorough and professional investment advice across the golden triangle and beyond.
Providing thorough and professional investment advice across the golden triangle and beyond.
Renowned for his professionalism over 30 years with Bidwells, Saul provides clear and objective investment and development funding advice to our biggest clients.
Going into a deal, Saul always has the most up-to-date market knowledge at his fingertips. He leads our in-house commercial research team and specialises in advising investors and developers on the science and technology sector.
He was responsible for securing £600m of development funding at Brookgate’s CB1 in Cambridge, now the new home of Apple, Microsoft and Samsung’s UK research teams, and has advised investors and developers on many of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc’s research clusters. He knows what makes the UK’s knowledge economy tick.
Saul’s long career at Bidwells is also peppered with creative deals for offices, retail and leisure units, shopping centres, industrial estates, supermarket portfolios and large-scale distribution centres, across Bidwells’ territory and further afield.
His reputation for tenaciousness means that when you reach the toughest part of a negotiation, he will provide only the most robust advice and representation.
Saul gave a talk at the Bisnow Life Sciences conference alongside Sue Foxley, speaking on the evolving life sciences market.
If you’d like to hear more, browse our Arc Market Databook papers > https://www.bidwells.co.uk/what-we-do/arc-market-databook/
Offices and Labs Databooks webinar Jan 2024
We heard our experts discuss Bidwells’ latest research on the Offices & Labs market across Cambridge, Oxford, M1 South, and Norfolk & Suffolk.
Offices and Labs Databooks
Our latest offices and labs research reports provide an update on the market across Cambridge, Oxford, M1 South, Norfolk & Suffolk.
Arc Investment Report - Summer 2023
In common with the wider UK real estate market, the sharp increase in interest rates over the last 18 months has had an impact on the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. Download our latest Investment Report for our insights on investment activity across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.
Bidwells Science and Tech group wins best Niche team at 2023 Property Awards
Bidwells, the largest property consultancy in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, has won the Niche or Regional Agency Team of the Year award at the Property Awards 2023.
Bidwells Science and Tech group wins best Niche team at 2023 Property Awards
Bidwells, the largest property consultancy in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, has won the Niche or Regional Agency Team of the Year award at the Property Awards 2023.
Investing in Life Sciences Real Estate: Clusters
Many of the locational factors driving value in Life Sciences assets will be familiar to more traditional real estate investors. Location is as critical as ever. But understating the importance of clustering – the name given to a location with a high concentration of interconnected businesses and / or research organisations – is an essential part of investing into this sector.
Investing in Life Sciences Real Estate: Design
Designing and fitting out a property for laboratory use is incredibly complex and specific to the company operating in that space. A ‘one size fits all’ approach does not work.
Investing in Life Sciences Real Estate: Value
Life sciences is a relatively new and still niche real estate investment sector. These assets offer large, profitable returns, while diversifying portfolios. The sector ticks many boxes on an investor’s shortlist, but understanding the factors that most influence value is crucial.
Lab space on the way for supply-strapped Cambridge, new research reveals
Cambridge’s knowledge-based economy is still suffering a lack of immediately available quality space leading to an extreme supply and demand balance. There is an acute shortage of purpose-built life science wet lab space, but with new schemes starting on site during 2022 and to commence in 2023 there will be some limited supply arriving from H2 2023.
Science and tech sector dominated lettings market in Oxford in 2022
Office and laboratory take-up in Oxford reached 505,000 square feet in 2022 as the city’s economy becomes increasingly dominated by the life sciences sector.
Lab space on the way for supply-strapped Cambridge, new research reveals
Cambridge’s knowledge-based economy is still suffering a lack of immediately available quality space leading to an extreme supply and demand balance. There is an acute shortage of purpose-built life science wet lab space, but with new schemes starting on site during 2022 and to commence in 2023 there will be some limited supply arriving from H2 2023.
Science and tech sector dominated lettings market in Oxford in 2022
Office and laboratory take-up in Oxford reached 505,000 square feet in 2022 as the city’s economy becomes increasingly dominated by the life sciences sector.
Offices & Labs Databook London - Summer 2022
Total take up across Central London touches 6m sq ft for the second successive six month period underpinned by growing demand from the life science sector.
Offices & Labs Databook Cambridgeshire - Summer 2022
The life science and technology sectors continue to drive very strong floorspace demand across the Cambridge market, with office and lab requirements standing at 2.2m sq ft, up a fifth in the last six months.
Offices & Labs Databook Cambridgeshire - Summer 2022
The life science and technology sectors continue to drive very strong floorspace demand across the Cambridge market, with office and lab requirements standing at 2.2m sq ft, up a fifth in the last six months.
Offices & Labs Databook Oxfordshire - Summer 2022
Since the pandemic Oxford has seen an acceleration in the critical mass of life science and technology companies. Demand for labs has risen sharply over the last 18 months to a record of 860,000 sq ft, including a number of significant floorplate requirements.
Arc Market Databook Offices & Labs London - Spring 2022
The second half of 2021 saw a strong rebound in the Central London following the pandemic period, an expansion in the tech sector accelerating take up ahead of trend.
A Brave New World, Where We Must Be Braver
What is it that makes the Oxford-Cambridge Arc unique?
Offices & Labs Databook webinar - Jan 2022
Find out how the offices & labs market is performing across the Arc at our latest Arc Market Databook webinar.
Arc Market Databook Offices & Labs Oxfordshire - Spring 2022
Laboratory take-up in Oxfordshire in 2021 reached record level
Arc Market Databook Offices & Labs Cambridgeshire - Spring 2022
Investment into the Cambridge cluster triples from previous 12 months
New Head of Science and Technology for Bidwells
Max Bryan has been appointed as Bidwells’ Head of Science and Technology.
Oxford-Cambridge Arc’s office and lab market to attract £1 billion of inward investment by year end
Spending on office and laboratory space in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc is set to hit more than £1 billion by the end of the year, more than twice that seen in 2020 when investment levels hit £452 million.
Kadans Science Partner expands Cambridge presence with acquisition of Merlin Place
Kadans Science Partner has added to its Pan-European portfolio after acquiring Merlin Place in Cambridge from a private investor who was represented by Bidwells.
Arc Investment Report - Summer 2021
The Oxford – Milton Keynes – Cambridge Arc has been pivotal in the COVID-19 response, not just for the UK but globally. Inevitably, this has focused investor attention on the region, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding traditional office markets and the retail sector.
Our View on Industrial - Spring 2020
Industrial take up across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc remained above trend levels for the seventh year in a row driven by an increase in the M1 South market in the second half of the year.
Our View on Offices and Labs - Spring 2020
Take up across the Oxbridge Arc was 1.4m sq ft in 2019, above the 10 year average, bolstered by a particularly strong year of activity in Cambridge (805,000 sq ft).
Retail Warehouse freehold investment sale
Sale and Leaseback at Colston House, Lancaster Way Business Park, Ely
Development funding and sale to Aviva / PSP completed following practical completion of the scheme
Acquisition of mid tech investment at HBK, Jarman Way, Royston
Sale of freehold office investment let to Government department
Creating a new, mixed-use sustainable urban quarter
Creating a new, mixed-use sustainable urban quarter
Forward sale of a new Cambridge city centre office and R&D scheme to Elwood Fund Management
Acquisition of long leasehold interest by freeholder of Abingdon Business Park
Sale of a Freehold Office Investment in East London
The acquisition of two office / R&D investments for Kadans Science Partner on the Abingdon Science Park
Acquisition of rare freehold self-contained city centre office investment in Cambridge
Pre-let, development funding and forward sale of the hotel and surrounding retail and commercial space
Kadans Science Partner expands Cambridge presence with acquisition of Merlin Place
British Land invests in Cambridge’s science and innovation sector
Acquisition of a multi let industrial / workshop investment in affluent south-east town
Offices & Labs Arc Market Databook - Webinar
Wed 01 Feb 2023, 10:30
Creating a Scientific Superpower Conference
Wed 28 Jun 2023, 08:30 - 16:00
Arc Market Databook Summer 2021 - Industrial
Tue 05 Oct 2021, 10:00 - 11:00
Arc Market Databook Summer 2021 - Office and Labs
Thu 16 Sep 2021, 10:00 - 11:00