HP confirmed as first Circle Square tenant
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has taken 20,000 sq ft at Bruntwood SciTech’s Circle Square on Manchester’s Oxford Road, the first deal at the speculatively-developed office scheme.
HP’s requirement has been in the market for some time and the technology company has now signed up for 20,000 sq ft on the seventh floor of No1 Circle Square, taking the space once the building completes in 2020.
The group has taken a 10-year lease and plans to house around 200 staff permanently, with capacity for 100 more on a flexible basis.
Circle Square will be HP’s seventh office and its second in the North West. Its other locations are Warrington, Bracknell, Bristol, Belfast, Erskine, and London.
Ahead of the move in 2020, HP will relocate some employees to an interim office at Manchester Technology Centre in the first half of next year, housing 100 staff with the potential to add more.
Work on two of Circle Square’s offices began in November last year, and these buildings will provide 400,000 sq ft of space and range between 17 and 14 storeys in height. Designed by architect Feilden Clegg Bradley, the project is being built by John Sisk & Son.
Bruntwood released CGIs of the office space at Circle Square this year
Overall, Circle Square is due to provide 1.2m sq ft of commercial space. The office agent for the development are JLL, Knight Frank, and Savills.
UK & Ireland managing director at Hewlett Packard Enterprises Marc Walters said: As we continue to grow our business in the UK, we’re really pleased to build out an innovative work space for our people in the heart of Manchester. The intent of the Circle Square development is to build a collaborative community of leaders in technology, business, arts and science, which is compelling.
“Hewlett Packard Enterprise is excited to be a part of such a progressive project that is well aligned to our core values. Our connectivity and security solutions are embedded in the development which will itself be a showcase for edge technology in the workplace. We can’t wait to move in.”
Commercial director Bruntwood SciTech Bradley Topps added: “We are delighted to be welcoming Hewlett Packard Enterprise to Circle Square, a fitting home for a global business which shares our ambitions and passion for best-in-class innovation
“HPE has one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry and a vision for the future of technology and its benefits that we wholeheartedly share. They understand as well as anyone the power of technology to fuel ideas and accelerate growth.”
Other tenants including fashion retailer Beauty Bay had weighed up a move to Circle Square before deciding against taking 30,000 sq ft in April this year. The company has since confirmed it will be significantly expanding its existing office at Exchange Quay in Salford.
Bruntwood SciTech was formed by Bruntwood and Legal & General in October this year. With a £360m war chest covering the North West, Birmingham, and Leeds, the company has already made its first property investment by putting £10m into speculatively-developed laboratory space at Alderley Park.
