Government department takes Soapworks office

UK Visas & Immigration is understood to have signed for 50,000 sq ft within The Carlyle Group's £70m Soapworks redevelopment in Salford Quays.

UK Visas & Immigration was previously known as the UK Border Agency. The department manages applications for people who want to visit, work, study or settle in the UK.

Soapworks is a 400,000 sq ft redevelopment of the former Colgate-Palmolive factory by asset manager The Carlyle Group and joint venture partners Nikal and Abstract Securities.

UKVI is expected to take space within the second phase of the scheme. The letting follows a deal with TalkTalk in November 2014 to take the entirety of the 20,000 sq ft Boilerhouse, which formed the first stage of the redevelopment.

JLL and Canning O'Neill are joint agents on the Soapworks.

JLL advises UK Visas & Immigration.

All parties declined to comment.