In an unusually enthusiastic comment, DTZ said the performance of the office market in Manchester city centre last year was ‘stellar.’ Indeed the surge of confidence throughout the region is palpable as Manchester Airport continues to gain global reach. The secret of this mood lies in the confidence of the business community that clearly believes anything is possible.
That comes from the top with an efficiently run administration under Sir Howard Bernstein. It helps that the government has refocused on the need for infrastructure improvements in the north, not least, better rail communications across the Pennines.
One statistic that underlines the breadth of the city centre market is that there were 319 transactions averaging 388 sq.metres (4,179 sq.ft.) last year and that there is a lengthy queue of occupiers seeking space.
There is no doubt there will be an expansion of speculative development in the city and Salford Quays, which is also a strong market.
We should not forget the steady performance of south Manchester and Warrington as well as the performance of the industrial market in Liverpool.