IT’S been empty for four long years, but owners of Southampton’s landmark Charlotte Place offices are today celebrating after landing their first tenant.

Specialist insurance litigation law firm Berrymans Lace Mawer (BLM) have signed a deal to take over the third floor of the £55m, eight-storey development.

It brings to an end a long-running saga, which has seen the offices vigorously marketed to regional businesses to little effect, leaving it as something of a giant white elephant on the books of developer McAleer & Rushe.

The move is good news too for BLM, which has outgrown its Carlton Place offices and needs extra space to accommodate its 75 Southampton staff, who cover a region from Cornwall to East Anglia and up to Birmingham.

It may take a second floor in the building if it decides to let go of its existing offices when the lease runs out next year.

BLM has a low public profile but is well known within the insurance industry, where it counts brands such as Direct Line, Churchill, Tesco and Norwich Union among its clients.

The firm has a reputation for its work in catastrophic injury cases and large loss litigation , which typically means legal action with a minimum value of £250,000.

Senior partner Andrew Hibbert said: “We’ve run out of space here and we need more.

We’ll be moving a team permanently to Charlotte Place. In a year we could have another floor.

“It’s a great space in a modern building that has been well furnished. It’s a good location with a beautiful view of the park.”