One of the biggest office requirements in the North West has been secured by Bruntwood SciTech for its Circle Square development to the south of the city centre.

Digital automotive marketplace, Auto Trader has agreed a lease for 130,000 sq ft of office space at No.3 Circle Square.

Alison Ross MBE, Auto Trader’s Chief People and Operations Director, and the chair of 400 strong tech sector body Manchester Digital, said the site was chosen because of the concentration of other tech businesses around Circle Square.

“We are deeply proud of our connection to Manchester, and over the course of the last decade, it’s become ingrained in our culture. The access to exceptional digital talent and skills from across the region has been integral to our growth and one of the key reasons why today, we are one of the UK’s largest technology companies,” she said.

“To continue to grow, we not only need more space to house our rapidly expanding data and technology teams, but also state-of-the-art facilities which can support their pace of innovation and ambition. We also need a space where we can welcome the wider automotive ecosystem, our partners, customers and peers to share data, insights and work collaboratively. The relocation of our head office to Circle Square within the heart of Manchester’s thriving tech community will help us to deliver this growth, and it reaffirms our unwavering commitment to the city.”

As one of the UK’s largest technology companies, and the second largest UK technology company listed on the London Stock Exchange it will join other global tech brands at Circle Square, including HPE, Avalere, Roku, Bosch and Autocab – acquired by Uber – alongside a cluster of startups and scaling enterprises within the Tech Incubator.

The £87m, 267,000 sq ft development forms part of an ongoing £243 million investment across seven assets currently being brought forward in Manchester city centre Bruntwood SciTech – a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund. The building is due for completion in April 2025.

The business is currently based Tony Wilson Place as part of the First Street scheme, but the search for a new site was preferred over other options including St Michael’s, NoMa and Spinningfields.

Auto Trader’s new workspace will span seven floors; with six floors dedicated to office space, and a private rooftop terrace.

No.3 Circle Square is the latest phase of the neighbourhood’s development, following the successful completion of the fully-let No.1 and No.2 Circle Square.

The site also has an events programme and opens out onto Symphony Gardens, a newly landscaped space designed to complement the neighbouring Symphony Park. 

Two retail stores will also be located on the ground floor for businesses and the general public to enjoy, joining the likes of Manchester-favourite Onda Pasta Bar, North Tap Room, Half Dozen Other and Federal Cafe Bar.

Soon to open nearby is Stack, replacing the Hatch development under the Mancunian Way.

Josh Whiteley, Commercial Director, Bruntwood SciTech, said:

“We are very pleased to welcome Auto Trader to No.3 Circle Square and have them join our community of science, technology and digital innovators. Their decision to join us highlights the vibrant, collaborative ecosystem we’ve created within Circle Square and throughout Manchester’s knowledge quarter.”

New Steer acted for Autotrader. Knight Frank, JLL and CBRE acting for Bruntwood Scitech. Legals – DLA acted for Autotrader and Shoosmiths acted for Bruntwood SciTech.