Glasgow office take-up hits strongest first half since 2018
Glasgow’s office market recorded its strongest first half since 2018, according to CBRE’s latest UK office market figures, with year-to-date take-up reaching 309,600 sq ft, up 18% on the same period last year.
The momentum built through the second quarter, when take-up rose 58% year-on-year to 169,100 sq ft, Glasgow’s strongest quarterly total in more than a year. The uplift was underpinned by the Home Office’s letting of 80,600 sq ft of refurbished space at 200 Broomielaw, one of the largest lettings recorded across the UK’s regional office markets in Q2. The public sector accounted for the largest share of Glasgow take-up over the past 12 months, at 28%, followed by business services at 17%.
Supply in the city remains tight. Availability fell 3% over the quarter to 2.0m sq ft, 19% below the five-year average, with Grade A space making up just 18% of what’s available. No new office space has completed in Glasgow so far this year, and only one scheme, 91,100 sq ft at 45 Waterloo Street, is currently under construction.
The Edinburgh market also held firm, with year-to-date take-up of 237,000 sq ft, up 2% on H1 2025, led by a 21,900 sq ft letting at Saltire Court on Castle Terrace, advised by CBRE.
The two cities’ resilience stands in contrast to a different picture across the UK’s wider regional office markets. National take-up fell 15% quarter-on-quarter, bringing H1 volumes to 2.2m sq ft, 7% below the same period in 2025, with limited pre-letting reflecting ongoing supply-side constraints across the UK.
Sarah Hagen, director and head of office agency, Glasgow at CBRE said: “Glasgow’s office market is showing real momentum. The Home Office’s acquisition of 200 Broomielaw was a significant contributor, but activity has been broad-based, with demand also coming from the business services and professional sectors.
“The challenge remains supply. Despite the high-level supply picture when you delve a little deeper, less than 2% of Glasgow’s office stock is currently available as best in class or Grade A space, and Lucent is the only prime building offering immediate occupation. With no refurbishment completions expected this year, occupiers are facing an increasingly limited pool of options until 45 Waterloo Street delivers 100,000 sq. ft of best-in-class accommodation in early 2027.”
Angela Lowe, senior director and head of office leasing for Scotland at CBRE, said: “Glasgow and Edinburgh have both outperformed the wider UK regional market so far this year, and the pipeline of activity coming through is an encouraging sign for the months ahead.
“A strong pipeline of occupier interest is currently under discussion that should convert into further take-up before year end, while more refurbished space is starting to come through in both cities, helping to ease the supply constraints that have held the market back and giving occupiers the quality of stock they’re increasingly looking for.”