Contracts to that effect have been exchanged between the company and joint venture development partners on the relevant under-construction offices at One St Peter’s Square.
The building, designed by architect Glenn Howells and scheduled for completion in spring 2014, is set to be one of the more eye-catching additions to an area currently being substantially overhauled. It sits close to the Midland Hotel and Manchester Library in the heart of the largest city in northwest England.
Developers Argent and the Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund are ultimately behind the project, adding around 280,000 sqft of Grade A office space to the supply in central Manchester.
“One St Peter’s Square will act as the business centrepiece of the regenerated area and an apt home for KPMG in the city,” said Jonathan Hurst, senior partner at the firm’s local office.
“Its prominent location, excellent public transport links, market-leading green credentials and contemporary design will contribute to a best-in-class office building and a highly productive space for our employees, clients and the wider Manchester business community.”
An Argent spokesperson said the company was delighted to secure the 15-year lease arrangement with a key client at the One St Peter’s Square site. The building currently occupying the site is being demolished with Carillion to begin work on the new construction in early 2012.
KMPG is one of the so-called ‘Big Four’ within the UK’s auditing and business advisory industry. It competes primarily against Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and PwC, all of which have offices in central Manchester.
Editor’s notes: One St. Peter’s Square was completed in April 2014. As of May 2024, the building was fully occupied, and KPMG’s fellow tenants included Addleshaw Goddard, CBRE, DLA Piper, Irwin Mitchell, and Mazars.