Big Six offices are bouncing back as demand soars 
and space runs scarce 

The UK’s Big Six regional office markets are set for a 2026 surge, with take-up predicted to hit 4.5 million sq ft this year. JLL’s latest research finds that, up 15% from 2025, rising occupier demand is colliding with tightening prime supply. With more businesses looking to grow and fewer top-quality offices to go around, the market is heading for a squeeze - one that could define the next phase of the cycle. Here's everything you need to know…

That momentum has been building. Last year across Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester, take-up reached 3.9 million sq ft, just shy of the 4 million sq ft five-year average. At the same time, 3.75 million sq ft of live occupier demand has been quietly gaining traction, building further pressure beneath the surface.

This is being driven by a growing pipeline of active requirements - 127 in total for space above 10,000 sq ft - including five major enquiries exceeding 100,000 sq ft each. It’s a clear signal that larger occupiers are back in the market, and increasingly competing for limited high-quality stock.

Looking ahead, JLL expects 2026 to mark a fresh surge in activity. Around a third of businesses are now planning to scale their office portfolios by 2029, up from just 24% in 2024, reinforcing a broader shift back towards growth.

The firm reported that hiring in office-based sectors across all of the Big Six is set to grow faster than the national average through to 2023 - a sure sign that these regions are steadily closing the gap with London. 

But while demand builds, supply is tightening. New-build vacancy rates across the Big Six have dropped below 2%, with overall availability averaging just 7.5% - mirroring the constrained conditions seen in London.

Development activity, however, remains limited. Just five new-build schemes are currently underway, totalling 619,000 sq ft, and notably, none have secured pre-lets off-plan. Even when refurbishments are factored in, the speculative pipeline barely exceeds 1 million sq ft across 16 projects - well short of what’s needed to meet demand.

Ben Reed, Head of UK Tenant Representation and Regional Office Agency at JLL states: “The pipeline for 2026 looks materially stronger than 12 months ago, but the challenge is clear - there simply isn’t enough quality space to meet the demand we’re seeing.”

“Occupiers are increasingly focused on securing quality space ahead of any further tightening. The cities that can bring forward new supply – whether through speculative development or intelligent refurbishment – will be the ones that capture the growth.”

This enduring imbalance between supply and demand is actively driving rents higher, with every Big Six city seeing prime growth in 2025. The report notes that headline rents now span from £41.50/ sq ft in Glasgow up to £52/ sq ft in Bristol and Birmingham. With JLL anticipating a rent increase to £60/ sq ft by the end of the decade - translating into an average annual rental growth of 4.58%.

With transactions already in the pipeline, several cities are on track to push into new pricing territory, with rents expected to reach between £48 and £55 per sq ft in the near term.

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