Cambridge office & lab take-up reaches 298,000 sq ft in Q1 2026

Savills reports that office and lab/ mid tech take-up in Cambridge reached 298,000 sq ft (27,700 sq m) in Q1 2026, accounting for 133,000 sq ft and 165,000 sq ft respectively.

This figure is 52% above the Q1 2025 figure of 195,734 sq ft demonstrating that the market remains resilient with both technology, media and telecoms and pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare sectors showing a strong start to the year with seven deals in both sectors.

Savills research shows that the largest deal in Q1 2026 for Cambridge is Aveva taking 80,000 sq ft at 101 CSP. Other key transactions include 4BaseBio, a pharmaceutical company, which has taken 36,488 sq ft at Q ARC.

Deals have been mainly in zones 1,3 and 5 in the city, reflecting the ongoing demand for both central prime space and out-of-town spaces. Grade A space continues to demand strong interest, highlighted by lettings at 10 Station Road and Journey Campus, where headline rents reached £67–£67.50 per sq ft.

Total availability stands at approximately 1.74 million sq ft, with the largest concentration in zones 3 and 4, which together account for the majority of current supply. Grade B space has the most availability, with grade A representing a smaller proportion, particularly in the city centre.

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Mark Taylor, director in the commercial agency team at Savills Cambridge, said: “We are optimistic that technology and pharmaceutical sectors in the area will continue to grow and this is likely to result in a strong second quarter, reinforcing the city’s position as a core growth hub for innovation‑led businesses.

“Whilst occupiers remain cautious and selective on quality, prime assets continue to perform strongly, with demand for fitted and lab ready space the strongest. With vacancy increasingly divided between best‑in‑class space and grade B stock, Q1 has set a positive tone for the year ahead as supply tightens and development pipelines edge closer to delivery.”