LJMU's £12.5M Transformation Triggers Liverpool's Largest 2025 Office Deal

Liverpool’s office market has recorded its largest transaction of the year, with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) completing a 24,360 sq ft deal at the Grade A City Square building on Tithebarn Street.

While significant in scale, the deal itself is a strategic enabler for a much larger story: the university's ambitious, multi-million-pound transformation of its city campus.

Liverpool Dock

Global real estate advisor CBRE, who acted for LJMU, confirmed the three-year deal, which sees the university take the final available floor in the building.

The move is designed to provide high-quality temporary accommodation for teaching staff and students, paving the way for a major redevelopment project set to begin later this year.

Investing in the Future: The Henry Cotton Project

The catalyst for the move to City Square is LJMU's £12.5m project to redevelop its Henry Cotton Building, which is scheduled to start in October 2025 and complete by July 2027.

The extensive works are a cornerstone of the university's commitment to sustainability and its ambition to reach net-zero carbon. The project will fully decarbonise the building while providing flexible, modern new facilities and a refreshed look, ensuring the campus meets the needs of future generations of students and staff.

Mark Askem, Director of Estate Development at LJMU, commented:

“We are pleased to have secured space in City Square to provide high-quality temporary accommodation while we redevelop Henry Cotton Building. City Square is in an ideal location within our City Campus, making it easily accessible for our students, staff and visitors”.

A Wider Strategic Vision

The deal at City Square, which sits in Liverpool’s core business district and offers a wealth of on-site amenities, is part of a broader, ongoing property strategy for the university.

Alongside securing the temporary teaching space, CBRE also acted for LJMU in the sale of the 13,551 sq ft Jo Makin drama building on Hope Place to the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) for an undisclosed sum.

Andy Byrne, Director at CBRE’s Office Agency team in Liverpool, said:

“It has been a privilege to work with the team at LJMU to secure accommodation at City Square, a significant deal in terms of significance and scale. The additional sale of the Jo Makin building forms part of the ongoing, wider LJMU property strategy and is an excellent new home for the LIPA”.