Land to Let or Buy in Birmingham

Business character

Professional and financial services lead. Banking has re-centred on Birmingham, with HSBC UK's head office at 1 Centenary Square housing around 2,500 staff, Deutsche Bank at One and Five Brindleyplace, Lloyds Banking Group with over 1,000 people at Two Brindleyplace and Goldman Sachs at One Centenary Way, while the big four accountants and national law firms fill the Colmore Business District; BT has over 3,000 staff at Three Snowhill and KPMG is at One Snowhill. The public sector is the other big occupier: the city's NHS trusts together employ over 20,000 people, the University of Birmingham has over 8,000 staff and Birmingham City Council employs roughly 10,000, with Aston University and Birmingham City University adding to a large student and graduate pool. Manufacturing is still real, from Cadbury at Bournville, where Mondelez employs around 6,500 to the Jewellery Quarter's 400 jewellery makers and the world's largest Assay Office, and transport is a home-grown industry: Mobico, the owner of National Express, is headquartered at Birmingham Coach Station in Digbeth. Retail and leisure are a major employer in their own right, with Bullring and Grand Central recording 48.2 million visits in 2025, and the Custard Factory and the BBC's move have made Digbeth the natural home for media and digital firms. Other significant employers include PwC (One Chamberlain Square), University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Mondelez / Cadbury (Bournville), JLR (Castle Bromwich) and Mobico / National Express (Digbeth).

Transport & connectivity

• Motorway: M6 (Junction M6 J6, 2 miles)
• Nearest rail: Birmingham New Street (79 min to London)
• Airport: Birmingham (8 miles)
• Key A-roads: A38, A38(M), A34, A41, A45, A47, A456, A4540 (Middleway ring road)

Market context

Birmingham's office market is now priced in two clear tiers. Grade A space in the central business district was quoting £44 to £46 per sq ft in early 2026, with Grade B at £26 to £35; Digbeth Grade A was £32.50 to £35 and Eastside and Westside £28 to £29, with Grade B in those areas at £19 to £20. The top buildings at Paradise and 103 Colmore Row go higher still, at the £52 per sq ft prime headline recorded in mid-2026. Industrial space is tighter than offices. Agent research reported 2025 quoting rents for mid-box units in the West Midlands of £12.55 per sq ft for prime and £10.35 for secondary space. The larger sheds are at the M42 end of the district and the cheaper workshops in Aston and Hockley. Retail rents span a wide range, with the highest figures in B1 and B5 around the Bullring and New Street, and suburban parades in Longbridge, Kings Heath and Yardley let for far less.