Our Masterplan is driven by the need to diversify Leicester’s economy and to grow the service sector, particularly offices. Leicester is ideally situated for offices, but until recently this sector has been under-developed in the city.

The New Business Quarter is bringing this change about, creating new job opportunities and long-term prosperity. It offers a continuing pipeline of supply for the next few years: 20,000 square meters of new or newly-refurbished space are available now, a further 10,000 square meters with sites assembled and full permission, and negotiations advancing for later development of a further 30,000 square meters. Few other locations can offer such a scale and range of accommodation.

Located around the rail station, just 70 minutes away from London St Pancras International and Eurostar links to Paris and Brussels, the New Business Quarter is creating 46,000 square metres (500,000 sq ft) of new Grade A offices offices, with the potential for 4,000 new jobs. .

Goodman is close to completing the first of our projects here – 9,700 square meters (108,000 sq ft) of high quality new offices at Colton Square, the former Charles Street Police Station. The first phase, One Colton Square, is now complete, and letting well.

Work on phase two will be completed in Autumn 2008.

Colton Square is the first speculative office space in the city for several years, and has raised local rents from £14 per square foot to around £16.50 per square foot.

Planning permission has been granted for 9,000 sq m of new Grade A offices at International House, on Granby Street. Developers Cathco are creating sustainable office space and leisure units, providing accommodation for 800 new jobs in Grade A office space.

The renewal of St George’s Tower has added 12,000 square meters of refurbished space to current availability, helping to grow momentum of change in the New Business Quarter.

Negotiations are progressing well with landowners Network Rail and Royal Mail, and the East Midlands Development Agency, to bring forward the site around the train station to form the final phase of the New Business Quarter. Around 30,000 square meters of new Grade A space will sit alongside shops, bars and restaurants, surrounding a new civic space and station entrance. Agreement between the parties will be followed by appointment of a developer partner and a site start in the next couple of years.

Click here to see a video of the proposals for the final phase of the New Business Quarter >