Burges Salmon to expand Bristol HQ in city centre’s largest-ever office letting
International real estate advisor Savills has secured the leasing of the entire building at One Glass Wharf on behalf of Burges Salmon, with landlord Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd (‘Mapletree’), in what is the largest office letting ever completed in the city centre.
The firm will occupy the premises, which totals 216,172 sq. ft of Grade A workspace, until 2045 and this new deal will provide the firm with significant flexibility to support its future growth ambitions. As part of the deal, the landlord will oversee a multi-million-pound refurbishment of One Glass Wharf, with the refurbishment and upgrade works set to deliver significant sustainability and environmental enhancements and major improvements to the building’s management systems and amenities.
With its distinctive terracotta, zinc and glass façade and prominent position on the waterfront, One Glass Wharf – Burges Salmon’s HQ since 2010 – has become a recognisable landmark within Bristol’s cityscape. Committing to remain in the building until 2045 marks the latest chapter in Burges Salmon’s ongoing growth journey. The firm is also delivering further expansion across its office network, with existing projects in both Edinburgh and London on track to double the firm’s footprint in both locations during the first half of 2026, which will include new high-spec client suites and seminar spaces.
Chris Meredith, director in Bristol office agency at Savills, comments:“This transaction marks a defining moment for Bristol’s office market. It sends a clear signal of confidence in the city’s long-term prospects and reinforces its position as a leading regional hub for professional services. Securing the largest-ever city centre letting highlights the strength and resilience of demand for high-quality workspace. The planned refurbishment will deliver best-in-class standards, creating a modern, sustainable environment that meets the evolving needs of occupiers. More than just a significant deal in scale, this commitment reflects continued investment in Bristol’s future as a thriving centre for business and innovation.”
Emma Dowden, Burges Salmon’s chief operating officer, adds: “One Glass Wharf offers a space that is truly fit for the future. Its strong green credentials align closely with the ambitions of our Carbon Reduction Plan, ensuring we continue to invest in spaces and technologies that support our sustainability goals while delivering the best possible experience for our people and clients.
“We are also making significant, forward‑looking investments across our London and Edinburgh offices to create flexible, tech‑enabled, low‑carbon environments. From upgraded collaboration hubs and inclusive, wellbeing‑led design to smarter building systems and enhanced client suites, our workspaces support how our people deliver outstanding service. This is about future‑proofing our spaces so we can continue to reduce emissions, attract talent, and give clients a consistently excellent experience across our network.”
Rory Carson, director, Asset Management for UK & Ireland, Mapletree, comments: “This deal demonstrates the remarkable benefits of finding alignment between owners and occupiers of office buildings. The regear at One Glass Wharf allows us not only to invest in future-proofing the building through comprehensive upgrades to its operational sustainability, sense of arrival and staff amenity, but also to retain the embodied carbon in the existing building.
The close collaboration between Burges Salmon and Mapletree when designing the upgrades and specifying the works means that our investment will deliver a headquarters that Burges Salmon can be proud to call home for years to come, as the firm continues to flourish.”