Take-up

Take-up in Edinburgh city centre during Q1–Q3 totalled 258,465 sq ft, and was achieved through 84 transactions, 2% higher than the same period in 2024. Take-up was down 7% compared to Q3 2024 and also below the long-term average. Q3 take-up totalled 61,054 sq ft and accumulated through 24 transactions.

Grade A and Prime take-up totalled 147,778 sq ft in Q1–Q3 and accounted for 57% of the total, and was 12% higher than the five-year average proportion. The total was achieved through 20 transactions, with Grade A and Prime take-up 32% higher than the same period in 2024.

Supply

Availability in Edinburgh city centre at the end of Q3 2025 stands at 1.1 million sq ft, a 6% decrease from the previous quarter. This means the overall vacancy rate has decreased by 50 basis points to 12.2%, continuing to show the lack of space for occupiers.

Grade A and Prime availability total 679,000 sq ft and account for 61% of the total. The individual respective vacancy rates now stand at 6.3% and 1.1%, with the Prime vacancy rate being the lowest in the Big Six.

Take-up by business sector

The most active business sector during Q1–Q3 was the 'Professional' sector, which leased a total of 68,780 sq ft, which was achieved through 12 transactions. The sector accounted for 27% of the total take-up, with Addleshaw Goddard letting the largest space of the sector at 24–25 St Andrews Square for a total of 29,079 sq ft. This was the largest deal for the sector since 2021.

The 'Business & Consumer services' sector was also active during the period, accounting for 22% of the total by leasing a combined total of 55,601 sq ft. There were 14 transactions year to date for the sector, the highest Q1–Q3 total since 2015. Wood Mackenzie acquired the largest of the transactions at Waverley Gate, totalling 29,690 sq ft.

Rents

There was no further increase in the Prime headline rent during Q3 2025, which means headline rent has remained at £48 per sq ft, and was achieved in Q1 2025. Over the previous five years, headline rent in Edinburgh has grown by 30%, and looking at the further growth prospects for the market, Savills predicts that the Prime rent will be at or above £53 per sq ft by the end of 2029, if not before, representing a 10% increase on current rental levels. However, Savills also expects that a new build pre-let will elevate rental levels to £55 per sq ft or above, which would represent a rental uplift of 12%.

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