Aerospace and defence occupiers in Edinburgh typically cluster in Haymarket, plan ~210 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out ($180–260/sqft), and pay around 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD) on Class A.
Aerospace and defence occupiers in Edinburgh typically cluster in Haymarket, plan ~210 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out">fit-out ($180–260/sqft), and pay around 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD) on Class A.
Aerospace and defence occupiers in Edinburgh typically anchor in Haymarket. Tech, financial services, professional services, hospitality.
Class A rent in Edinburgh runs 42 GBP/sqft ($53 USD) on a 10-year lease with 18 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index.
Typical aerospace and defence fit-out targets high-end specification at $180–260/sqft. Branded reception, full client-facing programming, premium furniture, and specialist AV are standard.
Plan around 210 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount aero/defence office in Edinburgh typically targets 21,000 sqft of leasable area.
Programme leadership and contracting teams concentrate near government anchors; cleared-personnel logistics drive submarket selection. Among the deepest fintech and asset management talent pools in the UK regions. University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt anchor the regional pipeline. Strong AI talent (Edinburgh's AI4ER programme) drives the post-2020 tech absorption pipeline.
Headline corporate tax: 25%. Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) structures predominate. 10-year terms with 5-year tenant breaks standard. Scottish leases differ procedurally from English (different forms of guarantee, irritancy rather than forfeiture). Rent-free periods of 18-24 months on a 10-year term, plus £40-£60/sqft TI typical.
| city | Edinburgh |
|---|---|
| industry | Aerospace and defence |
| naics | 3364, 5415 |
| preferredSubmarket | Haymarket |
| preferredFitoutSpec | High-end |
| fitoutBand | $180–260/sqft |
| sqftPerSeat | 210 |
| classARentLocal | 42 GBP/sqft/yr |
| classARentUsd | $53/sqft/yr |
| vacancyPct | 8.4% |
| typicalLeaseYears | 10 |
| typicalRentFreeMonths | 18 |
| talentIndex | 85 |
| corporateTaxPct | 25% |
Reviewed by Class A Atlas Editorial Desk — House byline · global editorial team. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.