Mills Reeve innovate Circle Square Manchester move

Mills & Reeve has signed a long-term lease to take 15,000 sq ft at No.1 Circle Square, which is due for completion in the summer of 2020.

Niall Innes, head of the Manchester office of Mills & Reeve, said that around 100 staff will relocate from its current New York Street offices to Circle Square in September 2020. Circle Square, a joint venture development by Bruntwood SciTech and Vita Group in the heart of the Oxford Road Corridor innovation district is hailed as Manchester’s “most intriguing new neighbourhood”. It already includes Manchester Technology Centre, home to one of the city’s newest tech incubator spaces. Other companies confirmed for No 1 Circle Square include Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

The mixed-used development includes 1,700 new homes, commercial office space, bars, shops, restaurants and a multi-storey car park. It will also host 250,000 sq ft of public realm including Symphony Park, the first park to be created in the city for some time.

Niall said the firm had considered several options, including Spinningfields, to house its growing team, however, Circle Square fits perfectly with the firm’s vision for where it wants to be in ten years’ time, and it reflects the firm’s culture of collaboration and innovation.

Niall said: “We looked at various office developments across the city, however, we immediately recognised Bruntwood’s vision for Circle Square which focuses on collaboration with other tenants within a part of the city which will become known for innovation. It was important that we were the right fit. Two of our key sector strengths are technology and education and with the universities close by and the Manchester Technology Centre on site plus our collaborative ethos, Circle Square fits neatly with our strategy for the next decade.

“It will be a really exciting place for our team to be. There will also be a strong sense of community with green space and excellent retail and leisure facilities for our staff. It is an innovative move that demonstrates our bold vision for 2030 and our willingness to follow our own lead.”

The Oxford Road Corridor’s vision is to be Manchester's cosmopolitan hub and world-class innovation district, where talented people from the city and across the world learn, create, work, socialise, live and do business; contributing to the economic and social dynamism of one of Europe's leading cities.

Bradley Topps, commercial director at Bruntwood SciTech said: “It’s great to see Mills & Reeve, one of the UK’s leading legal businesses with a growing list of clients in the science and technology sector, joining our new community here at Circle Square.

“Mills & Reeve has just been ranked among the most innovative law firms in Europe and will be a great addition to the market disrupting businesses, both startups and global corporate companies, already at Circle Square."