A guide to office space in Birmingham

According to Instant’s specialist local consultant, Alex Everitt, the Big City Plan will have a huge effect on business in the city centre, and attract many more prolific companies to the area. The Big City Plan envisions:

• Growth of the Colmore Row Central Business District of Grade A office space into Westside and east around Snow Hill Station.
• Strengthening of the potential for the Jewellery Quarter and Digbeth to provide a range of accommodation for creative industries, professional practices and start-ups.
• A southern extension of the Central Business District to link the area around Martineau Galleries and on to the High Speed 2 rail station and Eastside.
• The growth of Eastside as a technology and knowledge-based area focused at Birmingham Science Park Aston, but at lower densities and more modest rents than the City Core.

The growth of population, increased number of jobs and improved connectivity to the rest of the region will ultimately lead to a greater demand for office space, as existing companies expand and new businesses establish themselves. Currently, the Central Birmingham market is picking up and continuing to grow.

Costs

£300 per desk is the average rate for serviced offices in Birmingham, but this will vary according to requirements and location. This price will include a variety of amenities that can include Internet, shared meeting rooms and breakout spaces and business support services.

Office sizes

The most popular option for office space in Birmingham tends to be private offices, as opposed to coworking spaces. Instant offer a great variety of office sizes, and are able to accommodate most enquiries, from one person through to 100 or more depending on the specifics. Providers can often be flexible with the layout of the workspace, to fit a particular requirement.

Why choose Birmingham?

As an internationally recognised business hub with a strong economy, an expanding CBD and easy transport access to major destinations around the UK, Birmingham is the ideal city in which to do business. The continuing Big City developments will provide exciting opportunities for expansion within the area. The large university presence is also helpful when it comes to graduate recruitment. As well as its business credentials, Birmingham also boasts a number of cultural attractions and reputable educational institutions, and was ranked the second best UK city in the Mercer Quality of Living Survey.

Five things you probably didn’t know about Birmingham:

• The first Mini (still in production today) rolled off the production line at Longbridge, Birmingham in 1959
• There are 30 other Birminghams around the world and one crater on the moon called Birmingham
• Two of Britain's big four banks were founded in Birmingham - Lloyds in 1765 and Midland in 1836
• The city is one of the youngest in Europe with 40% of the population under 25
• The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and International Convention Centre (ICC) host over 200,000 conferences and 320 exhibitions every year

These are the most popular areas in which to rent office space:

City Core

There are three train stations in the city centre, forming a triangle: Birmingham New Street, Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Snow Gill. As a result, most businesses want to be located in this area. New Street Station is one of the busiest outside of London, with links to cities across the UK. Birmingham International Airport is also a short drive away. The city centre is populated by both national and global companies from a number of industries, including finance, legal and recruitment.

Jewellery Quarter

The Jewellery Quarter was historically home to one of the continent’s largest concentrations of jewellery manufacturers. While the jewellery trade in this area has declined somewhat, the location is now a growing hub for the creative industry, with PR, media, architecture and software firms moving in.

Digbeth

Digbeth is currently undergoing major redevelopment that will convert the old industrial buildings into offices, apartments, retail space and arts facilities. The area is known as a creative and digital hub, home to a number of businesses from these industries. It is also served by good transport links – the Birmingham Coach Station links to destinations across the UK, and the Birmingham Moor Street Station is a short walk away. There are also plans to extend the Midland Metro tram route through Digbeth, which could be up and running by 2023.

Solihull

The Birmingham International Airport is located in Solihull, making this area an attractive option for companies with members who are frequently required to travel for business. Other convenient transport links include the Birmingham International railway station on the West Coast Main Line, offering direct access to London, as well as the Solihull Railway Station and the M40, M42, A41 and A43 main roads. It is home to Land Rover’s main production plant, Birmingham Business Park, Arlington Business Park and the National Exhibition Centre.

For more information on the current state of the UK serviced office market check out our UK Flexible Workspace Review 2016.