Bruntwood SciTech confirms 10,000 sq ft education deal

QA Higher Education has expanded its footprint at St James’ on Manchester’s Oxford Street to 37,000 sq ft.

The deal, first tipped by Place North West in May, sees QAHE sign a 10-year lease on space previously occupied by the General Medical Council.

Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, L&G, and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, will welcome the education provider to the 280,000 sq ft Manchester building in October.

Abi Wynn, associate director at Bruntwood SciTech, said the deal “highlights the strength of Manchester’s education sector”.

Indeed, over recent months and years, education providers have been the most active in the city when it comes to signing deals for office space.

As well as QAHE’s 10,000 sq ft deal at St James’, other notable deals of late include Arden University taking 55,000 sq ft at 2 Hardman Street over two deals, Global Banking School expanding its presence at Universal Square to 103,000 sq ft, and Elizabeth School of London signing for the entirety of Custodian REIT’s 30,000 sq ft Arthur House.

“QA Higher Education is committed to helping students realise their full potential and gain the skills required to thrive in an innovation-driven economy, an ambition that aligns closely with our vision of fostering knowledge sharing across our communities,” Wynn said.

“We’re proud to support our customers as they scale and evolve. Our ability to provide flexible, future-ready workspaces and foster meaningful connections enables organisations like QA Higher Education to grow at pace and adapt to changing demands. Their expansion at St James’ is a great example of how we’re enabling long-term growth through connected, collaborative ecosystems.”

QAHE has had a presence at St James’ since 2015. It works in partnership with UK universities to provide undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in subjects including cybersecurity, computer science and business management.

Simon Nelson, chief executive at QA Higher Education, said: “We’re delighted to further deepen our commitment to Manchester, a city renowned for its rich culture of innovation and ambition.

“Our expansion at St James’ reflects our belief in the city’s extraordinary talent and dynamic ecosystem, and enables us to help more individuals unlock their career potential. By working alongside leading partners such as Bruntwood SciTech and the broader community, we look forward to playing an even greater role in Manchester’s ongoing growth story.”