Demand for office space in the UK’s leading regional cities is at a 10-year high suggesting business confidence has held firm despite distractions from Brexit, according to new analysis.

The Knight Frank Regional Office Market Review 2018 shows office take-up across the key regional cities exceeded 7m sq ft in 2017, the highest total in a decade and 24% ahead of the ten year average.

The report reflects on a particularly buoyant market in Leeds in 2017, where over 1m sq ft of office space was transacted, 88% higher than the ten year average. Take-up in Birmingham and Manchester also exceeded 1m sq ft, with take-up in each market 34% and 13% above the ten year average respectively. In addition, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Cardiff all recorded take-up at least 25% above their respective ten year average.

Demand for office space has been driven in part by growth in the TMT (Technology, Media & Telecom) and professional services sectors, with firms establishing regional hubs in some cases to complement their presence in London.

In 2017 companies in the TMT sector accounted for 18% of all office space let in key regional cities, with professional services accounting for a further 20%, the firm said.