Liverpool Waters, the ambitious £5.5 billion waterfront regeneration scheme, has secured its first major office pre-let after a global shipping and logistics company committed to 45,000 sq ft in the development's Central Docks district. The deal, understood to be at a rent of £24 per sq ft, represents a significant milestone for the Peel Group-backed scheme.
The 60-hectare development on the city's northern docks has been in planning and delivery for over a decade, but momentum has accelerated markedly over the past two years. The residential element is well advanced, with over 1,200 apartments completed or under construction, but the commercial office component has been slower to materialise.
Liverpool's office market has traditionally been constrained by a lack of Grade A supply, with most modern stock concentrated in the Commercial District around Old Hall Street. The Waters scheme aims to create an entirely new business quarter with 500,000 sq ft of office space, complemented by retail, leisure and public realm.
The city's office take-up reached 620,000 sq ft in 2025, a 15 per cent increase on the previous year, suggesting growing confidence among occupiers. Professional services, technology and the public sector were the most active segments.
