Take-up of city offices across Manchester increased by 61% in the first quarter of 2013, according to the latest figures from the Manchester Office Agents Forum.
Take-up in the city totalled 274,800 sq ft, up from just less than 170,000 sq ft in Q1 2012.
A total of 64 deals were recorded in the first quarter, up from 61 in 2012.
Key city centre office deals included Traveljigsaw, which took 63,000 sq ft at Sunlight House on Quay Street and a 22,000 sq ft letting to World Pay at 3 Hardman Square, Spinningfields.
MOAF said that, at the end of the first quarter, city centre take-up is in line to exceed the 10-year average of 900,000 sq ft for the full year.
An increase in office take-up was also seen in regional sub markets.
In south Manchester, Q1 2013 take-up totalled 219,286 sq ft, up from 136,000 sq ft during the same period last year.
The most notable increase in activity was witnessed in Warrington, however, which saw Q1 volumes skyrocket by 120% to 93,129 sq ft, boosted by MWH which took 13,457 sq ft at Dominion House and United Utilities taking 10,681 sq ft at Lingley Mere.
MOAF spokesman and Jones Lang LaSalle director Greg Ball said: “Manchester experienced a strong finish at the end of last year and we have continued to see a healthy uptake in take-up in the first three months of 2013 demonstrating that demand for office space in Greater Manchester and Warrington remains high.
“Looking at the profile of occupiers, there is a good mix of inward investors, such as World Pay, as well as companies already based in the region that needed expansion space for growth, such as Jacobs. This activity points to improving sentiment and confidence amongst occupiers during what remains a challenging market.”
Samantha.McClary@estatesgazette.com
