Office space take-up across the U.K. reached 20.3 million square feet in the second quarter of 2025, marking the strongest rolling 12-month total since Q3 2022, when take-up peaked at 20.6 million square feet. This data from CBRE shows a 3% increase compared to the previous year and sits 2% above the 10-year average.
Breaking down the figures regionally, Central London accounted for 11.8 million square feet of the total take-up, the South East contributed 2.4 million square feet, and the U.K. regions collectively made up 6.5 million square feet.
Central London saw an exceptional level of activity with five office deals exceeding 100,000 square feet each during the quarter — the highest number of large-scale transactions in a single quarter since 2018.
Outside of London and the South East, the most significant regional transaction involved Altrad securing 70,400 square feet at The Apex in Aberdeen. Other major deals included Aviva Central Services taking over 38,000 square feet in Southampton and Softcat leasing 35,400 square feet in Manchester.
In the regional markets, overall office availability declined by 3% during Q2, settling at 20.7 million square feet — close to the five-year average. Despite this slight dip in availability, new supply remains limited, with only 23% of available space being newly developed stock.
During the first half of 2025, 1.6 million square feet of new development was completed in the regions, with 41% of this space already leased by the end of June. Additionally, 800,000 square feet of new construction is set to finish before the end of the year.
Across all regional markets, 3.1 million square feet remains under construction, with potential completion dates extending through 2028. Of this pipeline, 17% has already been pre-let or is under offer.
Sector-wise, the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT) industry emerged as the largest contributor, accounting for 27% of the U.K.’s total office take-up during the first half of 2025 — the highest proportion recorded in any first half over the past decade.
However, sector dominance varies by city. In Manchester, TMT companies led office demand with a 31% share over the past year ending in Q2. Meanwhile, Banking and Finance dominated in Edinburgh and Central London, making up 38% and 30% of office take-up respectively. In Oxford and the South East, the Manufacturing, Industrial, and Energy sectors were the leading drivers, accounting for 44% and 34% of take-up in those areas.
