UK data regulator to move to Manchester

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will relocate is head office to Manchester in 2026.

It said the move follows a detailed review of options ahead of the lease expiring on its Wilmslow office, where the UK data watchdog has been based for 40 years.

The ICO will move to Circle Square, a development which is owned by Bruntwood SciTech, a property developer focused on the science and technology sectors backed by Bruntwood, L&G and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

Other organisations with offices on the same premises include Roku, BlueSkeye AI, Avalere Health and HP Enterprise.

Jen Green, executive director – strategy and resources said that the ICO will continue to have a “small presence” in the area after next year, adding that moving to Manchester will create a working environment which better supports how the organisation operates.

“Wilmslow has been a welcome home for the ICO for 40 years, and we will continue to have a small presence in the area beyond next year,” she said. “Moving to Manchester puts us close to universities and other organisations working in data and digital, and will also support our efforts to attract new and diverse talent and strengthen the way we engage with the wider sector.”