Warrington's Office Market: What the Data Tells Us About the Demand for Flexible Space

Warrington's Office Market: What the 2025 Data Tells Us About the Demand for Flexible Space

The Warrington Annual Property Review is one of the most valuable events in the local business calendar. Hosted by Jim Hancock at the Park Royal Hotel in Stretton, with presentations from Henri Murison of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and a comprehensive property review from analyst Vince Sandwell, it brings together the sharpest minds in the region's property market to assess the year just gone and look ahead.

We attended this year's event and came away with a clearer picture of a market that continues to perform well, and one that has some very specific things to say about the growing importance of flexible workspace.

Warrington's office market in 2025: the headline figures

The formal review covers office transactions above 200 sq m, and the numbers for 2025 paint a healthy picture. 28 deals were completed, totalling 15,802 sq m of office floorspace. While deal volumes were broadly in line with 2024, total floorspace transacted increased by 23%, reflecting a slightly larger average deal size across the year.

Rental levels continued to strengthen. The average rent for units above 500 sq m reached £19.41 per sq ft, with the year's highest rent of £26 per sq ft achieved at 2 Trinity, Birchwood, on a 10-year lease taken by civil and electrical engineering firm Opus Group. That they chose a fully fitted, ready-to-occupy suite over a conventional shell is significant, and we will come back to that point.

Birchwood remains the engine of the market

Birchwood's dominance in the Warrington office market is well established, and 2025 was no different. 18 of the 28 larger transactions were located within Birchwood, accounting for over 11,000 sq m of the total floorspace transacted. The four largest deals of the year were all within the park, ranging from 570 sq m to 2,240 sq m, each secured on 10-year leases.

It is not difficult to understand the appeal. Birchwood is the largest out-of-town office location in the North West, home to over 165 businesses and more than 6,000 employees. Its position between the M6 and M62 corridors, combined with ongoing investment in the campus environment and amenities, continues to attract occupiers looking for a high-quality, well-connected base.

The story the statistics don't tell

Here is where things get particularly relevant for businesses like UBC. The formal review captures deals above 200 sq m, equating to roughly 2,150 sq ft. The sub-200 sq m market, the world of flexible offices, managed suites and serviced workspace, is not reflected in those headline figures.

But as Vince Sandwell highlighted at the review, that market is far from quiet. In 2025, 47 sub-200 sq m office deals were recorded across Warrington, a figure 68% higher than the number of larger transactions. By deal volume, small and flexible office space is the dominant feature of Warrington's office market.

The detail behind those numbers is equally telling. Of the 42 disclosed lease terms for small offices, half were agreed on one-year terms. 16 of those 21 one-year deals were for units of 50 sq m or below. Occupiers in this part of the market are not looking for long commitments or large spaces. They want quality workspace, on their terms, with the ability to scale up or move on as their business requires.

A shift that runs through the whole market

What makes this particularly interesting is that the same preference for flexibility and ready-to-use space is visible even in the larger transactions. The highest rents of the year were achieved on fully fitted, managed suites rather than conventional shell-and-core offices. Opus Group's move to 2 Trinity was cited specifically as an example of occupiers choosing ready-to-occupy space to minimise fit-out costs and enable rapid relocation.

The boundary between serviced and conventional office space is becoming less defined. Across all size ranges, occupiers are placing a premium on workspace that is managed, fitted, and ready to go.

What this means for businesses in Warrington

For businesses considering their office options in Warrington, the 2025 data reinforces a clear direction of travel. Flexibility, quality and speed of occupation matter more than ever. Whether you are a sole trader looking for your first professional base, a growing team needing room to expand, or an established business reviewing its property commitments, the managed and flexible office model offers something the conventional market increasingly struggles to match.

At UBC, this is the market we have been serving across the North West for many years. The trends visible in the 2025 Warrington data reflect what we see every day: businesses that want great workspace without the long-term commitment, the fit-out cost, or the management burden that comes with a traditional lease.

Warrington is a thriving, well-connected business location with a property market that continues to grow in confidence. We are proud to be part of it, and we remain committed to ensuring that businesses of all sizes across the borough have access to the quality of flexible workspace they need to grow.

To find out more about UBC's flexible and serviced office space, please get in touch