Key points
- Global investment firm Investcorp and North‑West property specialist Citivale have launched a £30m office sale programme at Salford Quays, Greater Manchester.
- The sale targets both institutional and private investors seeking income‑generating commercial assets in a rapidly regenerating waterside district.
- The portfolio includes multiple office buildings occupied by a mix of media, technology and professional‑services tenants, under long‑term leases.
- Agents say the pricing reflects strong demand for quality space near MediaCity and the wider Salford Quays regeneration masterplan.
- The deal is part of broader efforts to unlock private capital for the area’s transformation into a “world‑class” waterfront destination with new homes, offices and leisure uses.
Salford Quays( Manchester Mirror) February 28, 2026 – investment giant Investcorp and regional property company Citivale have jointly launched a £30m office sale at Salford Quays, pitching the waterside district as a prime destination for investors seeking stable, income‑generating commercial assets in a fast‑changing part of the city.
The sale programme, launched this week, covers a portfolio of office buildings fronting the Quays, which are currently let to a diversified mix of media, tech and professional‑services firms on long‑term contracts. Industry agents acting on the deal say pricing is being set to attract both institutional and private capital, reflecting wider confidence in the area’s regeneration and its role in the wider North West economy.
Salford Quays has become a key node in the Manchester‑Liverpool corridor, anchored by the MediaCity complex and the wider masterplan that includes thousands of new homes and hundreds of thousands of square feet of new commercial space. The Investcorp–Citivale initiative is being framed as one of the first major pan‑portfolio disposals aimed explicitly at institutional investors, at a time when local authorities and developers are pushing for more private funding to accelerate the waterfront transformation.
Why is Investcorp and Citivale selling offices at Salford Quays?
As reported by property editor Anna Kearns of GreenStreet News in her coverage of the deal, Investcorp and Citivale have positioned the £30m sale as a “structured disposals programme” designed to recycle capital into other UK and international opportunities while retaining a stake in the wider Salford Quays ecosystem. Kearns notes that the joint venture is not exiting the area entirely, but rather rebalancing its portfolio to align with evolving investor appetite for modern, let‑up office stock in regeneration‑led locations.
Citivale’s chief executive, Mark Davies, told GreenStreet News that the sale reflects “strong demand” from investors who see Salford Quays as a “future‑proof” office market, particularly due to its proximity to MediaCity and the planned new homes, retail and leisure components. Davies added that the Quays now offer a “critical mass” of tenants and amenities that can support long‑term rental growth, even as broader UK markets remain cautious over office demand.
What type of office assets are being sold?
The portfolio includes several low‑to‑mid‑rise office buildings directly accessible from the Salford Quays waterfront, many of which benefit from high‑specification fit‑outs and flexible floorplates suitable for media and tech users. According to the GreenStreet News report, the assets are predominantly let to national and regional tenants, with weighted average lease lengths that agents describe as “materially above the regional average.”
Kearns highlights that several buildings are either within or adjacent to the Media Quarter zone of the wider Salford Quays regeneration plan, which is being developed as a “world‑class” waterfront destination with 3,000 new homes and 800,000 sq ft of commercial space across 60 acres. These characteristics are being underlined in marketing materials as a way to differentiate the Salford Quays stock from older, more central Manchester office blocks that may face higher vacancy or obsolescence risk.
How does this sale fit with Salford Quays’ regeneration plans?
Salford City Council approved an ambitious regeneration blueprint last year that aims to transform MediaCity and Salford Quays into a “world‑class” waterfront destination, creating thousands of new homes and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial, retail and leisure space. As covered by BBC News in its 2024 coverage of the waterfront plans, councillors have stressed the need for more green space and better connectivity, warning that the Quays risk becoming a “concrete jungle” if development is not balanced.
In that context, the £30m Investcorp–Citivale sale is being presented as a mechanism to attract private investment into the office component of the wider scheme, rather than relying solely on public or developer funding. Local regeneration officials quoted in GreenStreet News say that well‑capitalised owners and occupiers are central to sustaining rental values and enabling reinvestment into public realm and infrastructure around the Quays.
Who is the target buyer for these Salford Quays offices?
Agents marketing the £30m portfolio say that interest is expected from a mix of UK and international investors, including real estate investment trusts (REITs), private REITs, family offices and institutional funds looking for diversification outside London. According to GreenStreet News’s lead, advisers are emphasising the “institutional‑grade” nature of the leases and the quality of the occupiers as key selling points.
Kearns notes that the sale structure may involve breaking the portfolio into smaller, discrete lots to allow different types of investors to participate, ranging from a single‑asset buyer to a larger fund that can take multiple buildings. This approach mirrors broader trends in the UK commercial market, where complex portfolios are being segmented to match differing risk appetites while still moving assets at scale.
What does this mean for Salford Quays’ office market?
The launch of the £30m sale comes at a time when city‑centre and suburban office markets nationwide are under pressure from hybrid working and high interest rates. However, analysts quoted by GreenStreet News argue that waterside locations with strong regeneration plans, such as Salford Quays, are better positioned to hold or even grow rental values than older, less connected stock.
One property analyst cited in the report, who requested anonymity, told GreenStreet News that “the Quays have become a proxy for the wider North West economy’s shift towards media, tech and knowledge‑based services.” This economic narrative is being used to justify a premium on the assets, even as the broader UK office market remains cautious.
How are occupiers and local stakeholders reacting?
Occupiers based in the Salford Quays portfolio have been informed that the sale will not affect their existing leases or access to services, agents say. Kearns notes that several tenants have indicated they see the change of ownership as a potential upgrade, arguing that larger institutional investors may be more willing to invest in energy‑efficiency upgrades and smarter building systems.
On the local stakeholder side, Salford City Council and regeneration partners have welcomed the fact that such sales can release capital for further Quays‑wide improvements, such as the planned boardwalk, new public spaces and enhanced transport links. At the same time, some councillors quoted by BBC News have warned that without a clear plan for green space and community uses, rapid office development could “overwhelm” the area’s character.
What are the broader implications for Manchester and the North West?
The £30m Salford Quays office sale is being watched closely by other cities in the North West, which are also seeking to attract institutional capital into their regeneration schemes. As GreenStreet News points out, the deal could set a benchmark for how regeneration‑led office assets are priced and marketed outside London, particularly in areas with strong public‑sector‑backed masterplans.
In Manchester specifically, the sale reinforces the city’s positioning as a hub for media, technology and professional services, with Salford Quays increasingly seen as a complement to the traditional office core in central Manchester. Analysts suggest that if the Investcorp–Citivale sale is successful, it may encourage other owners in the Quays and surrounding districts to bring assets to market, accelerating the area’s transition into a fully integrated waterfront business district.
