A GROWING property and construction advisory firm has relocated its Chester base.

Jones Melling Chartered Surveyors is departing its Watergate Row South home to set up new offices in Grosvenor Court on Foregate Street.

The company, which has 19 staff and additional offices in London and Preston, has made the short move after outgrowing its current premises which opened in 2018.

The firm provides commercial and residential building surveying, quantity surveying and project management services to clients across the UK.

Clients include historic and listed building owners, commercial landlords, developers and builders, educational establishments, funders, healthcare providers and high net-worth individuals.

Director and co-founder of Jones Melling, Ken Jones, said: "When we opened our first Chester office in 2018, our ambition was to build a strong presence in the region’s property and built environment community and build our client portfolio, and we have succeeded in doing that.

“We have worked on some prestigious projects within Chester’s heritage and conservation area, as well as advising a growing number of commercial property owners, investors and private home owners in Cheshire and North Wales.

“Our new open-plan office will give us a stronger infrastructure by enabling us to accommodate a growing team while providing our fantastic people with modern, collaborative working spaces.”

Ken believes bricks and mortar offices are important for workplace culture.

He added: “While the pandemic has proven that technically anyone can work anywhere in the world, every business and individual is different so flexibility is the key.

“As a business that operates in the property and construction sector, a lot of our time is spent inspecting and surveying buildings, as well as seeing clients.

"Our team has the flexibility to work from home but having that bricks and mortar office is so important for culture, team working, setting standards and the wellbeing of our staff.

“Forging local relationships is important too. We are surrounded by other professionals in Grosvenor Court. As a people business, the success of our client projects and business is down to relationships, so having fellow professionals on our doorsteps is a boost for us.

“We believe that this office move will not only deliver our team a much more engaging working space, but it will also allow us to continue delivering the highest quality of advice and service offered to our clients in Chester, Cheshire, North Wales and across the UK.”