Government snaps up final space at Birmingham office in five-year deal

Birmingham is now home to a key regional hub for the Government after the final 16,500 sq ft of commercial space at one of its landmark office buildings, B1, was snapped up in a five-year deal.

The deal with with Galliard Homes and Apsley follows the government’s initial take up of 48,787 sq ft on a 10-year lease at B1 in the city’s Jewellery Quarter in June last year for the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

At the time of completion, it was the largest deal to be agreed in Birmingham following the UK’s first nationwide lockdown, and was one of the city’s biggest deals of 2020.

Those behind the Jewellery Quarter building, developers Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital, have now fully let the 92,472 sq ft space, with the government joining existing occupier, the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Property advisors Avison Young and Lambert Smith Hampton acted on both deals.

Chris Duffy, asset management, acquisitions and commercial director at Galliard Homes, said: “Birmingham is an increasingly attractive location for regional hubs outside the capital for both private and public sector organisations. Even against a backdrop of a challenging market, demand is still there and evident through our deal with Government at B1.

“We’re proud that the two deals we’ve agreed with Government to get B1 fully let have both been during the covid-19 pandemic, and this is testament to the strong demand for quality and good value space and the wider appeal of the city.”