Aberdeen office market roundup
Take-up remains robust
Take-up in Aberdeen during Q1 2026 totalled 68,482 sq ft across 13 transactions, the same number as in Q1 2025 and on par with the five-year Q1 average. Take-up was 11% higher than the same period in 2025; however, down slightly on the five-year Q1 average, with the city continuing to demonstrate positive leasing momentum. However, 77% of transactions were under 5,000 sq ft, with only two exceeding 10,000 sq ft.
Grade A and Prime take-up totalled 10,529 sq ft, accounting for 15% of the total, and was achieved through two transactions, on par with Q1 2025. Secondary transactions totalled 11.
Availability
Availability at the end of Q1 2026 stands at 1.74 million sq ft, an increase of 5% on the previous quarter; however, this is still well below the long-term average of 2.3 million sq ft. This means that the vacancy rate has also increased by 90 basis points (bps) to 16.8%.
Secondary stock accounts for most of the availability total. Grade A availability has continued to decrease, and now stands at 113,432 sq ft, a reduction of 57%, further highlighting the lack of top-quality accommodation in the market for occupiers. This means that the vacancy has also decreased to 1.1%, a decline of 60 bps.
Take-up by business sector
The most active business sector during Q1 2026 was ‘Extraction & Utilities', which leased a combined total of 51,333 sq ft, accounting for 75% of total take-up – the highest quarter for the sector since Q3 2023.
There were six transactions in the sector, with the largest acquired by Apache for a total of 31,180 sq ft at Hill of Rubislaw. Navitas Petroleum Ltd also took space during the quarter at Aurora, totalling 4,232 sq ft.
Another active sector was ‘Retail & Leisure', which accounted for 15% of total take-up, leasing 10,394 sq ft.
This was the largest quarter of take-up for the sector since Q3 2021 and was achieved through one transaction, which saw a gym operator take 10,394 sq ft at Innovation Centre, Exploration Drive.
Grade A availability has reduced by 57%, highlighting the lack of top-quality accommodation in the market for occupiers.
Dan Smith, Director, Head of Office, Business Space Aberdeen
Headline rent
There was no change in the prime rent in Q1 2026, with headline rent remaining at £32.50 per sq ft.
With a continued constrained supply of best-in-class space in Aberdeen and no new development, Savills is predicting that there will be significant rental growth in the next five years, with the most recent forecasts projecting a 3% increase to £33.50 per sq ft by the end of 2026, and further rental growth of 11% to £36 per sq ft expected by the end of 2030.
Find out more about Aberdeen's property market here.
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