Start-ups, tech companies driving sub-500sqm office demand: Colliers
Technology-related businesses and start-ups are driving the current demand for office space nationally in the sub-500sqm category, with average lease enquiries under 1,000sqm growing as a percentage of total leases as well.
According to the Second Half 2015 Research and Forecast Report from Colliers an influx of part-floor tenants are ready to come into the market as the sub-500sqm leases expire,with owners changing both leasing and development strategies as a result.
Nerida Conisbee, Colliers International national director of research said this is more a cyclical element given the long leases that large corporations typically take, however there are a number of structural issues also occurring.
"The first is that there has been significant growth in small-to-medium size enterprises looking for space," she said.
“Average lease enquiry levels in the sub-1,000sqm category have grown as a percentage of total leases. In 2009, it amounted to 71% of total deals. This has grown consistently to currently account for 83%.
“We expect to see a wave of part-floor users enter the market over the next two years as a large number of these leases expire. The number is expected to be much higher than single floor and multi floor users over the next two years. We therefore expect that it will not just be new tenants entering the market that are after smaller tenancies, but also existing users looking for new space.”
Simon Hunt, Colliers International managing director of office leasing, said Investa recently leased a whole floor at 120 Collins Street and are looking into splitting a further floor.
“Our latest Colliers International Demand Index found 55% of the companies wanting office space in Sydney alone this year have sought less than 500sqm, and this is being experienced across the board for premium, A and B Grade tenancies,” he said.
"Tenants were continuing to place a greater focus on location. In both the Sydney and Melbourne CBDs there is a current centralisation of tenants taking place.
“In Sydney CBD, the differential is not as significant however we are seeing even greater movement of tenants from metro markets… historically, Melbourne CBD has not had much movement of tenants between CBD and metro locations with most tenants preferring to stay in either location. This has changed over the past 12 months, where the cost of being based in the Melbourne CBD has dropped significantly compared to metropolitan markets.”