Catella APAM completes flurry of spring lettings totalling 95,000 sq ft

The transactions, which span 10 UK cities and include new leases with global occupiers including Arup and Lego, underline the continued appeal of quality space outside London.

Office leasing highlights

• The largest transaction sees global built environment consultancy Arup sign a 15-year lease for the 4^th and 5^th floors of Citygate One in Newcastle, totalling c. 20,000 sq ft. The letting follows the completion of a full refurbishment by Vantage, Catella APAM’s decarbonisation partner and principal contractor, including a full de-gassing of both floors and the installation of brand new electrical M&E services throughout.
• In Glasgow, two new lettings at Optima take the asset to full occupancy, with both units let to public sector bodies. The larger suite comprises c.12,000 sq ft on a 10-year lease, while a newly configured Cat A office of 2,000 sq ft completes the building's occupation. Catella APAM reconfigured previously vacant ground-floor accommodation to create the new space, with the remaining area repurposed as a business lounge connected directly to the main reception.

Retail leasing highlights

Across the firm’s retail portfolio, new lettings and renewals have been completed at Chantry Place in Norwich, Mander Centre in Wolverhampton and The Maltings in Salisbury totalling c.17,500 sq ft.

• The standout transaction sees Lego take a c. 5,400 sq ft unit at the main entrance of Chantry Place on a 10-year lease, with the store set to open in Q4 2026. Occupying a highly prominent position on the upper mall and serving as a key gateway into the scheme, the unit was created through landlord-led works combining two existing spaces.
• Swarovski also joins Chantry Place on a 5-year lease, bringing its new WonderLux concept – mirroring the format of the brand's Regent Street flagship – and further enhancing the scheme's premium occupier mix.
• At Mander Centre, new lettings and renewals have been completed with EE, Sassy Coffee, Eurochange and Rovan Veg & Fruits, reflecting continued occupier demand at the asset.

Victoria Morgan, Director at Catella APAM, said: "What makes this run of deals particularly pleasing is that most of them didn't happen passively. At Citygate One, a full floor-by-floor refurbishment opened the door to Arup. At Optima, we reconfigured ground-floor space to create a new Cat A suite and a shared business lounge – and now the building is fully let. That's what active asset management looks like in practice: understanding what occupiers need, positioning assets to meet local demand, and building the kind of relationships that mean you can move quickly to deliver complex deals that work for all parties."