The role of the office workplace has changed significantly since the pandemic. Between flexible working, hybrid working and working from home, the changing demand for office space has triggered fundamental questions about the nature and amount of office space organisations require now, and for the future.
With office occupancy averaging around 30% across the country, Local Partnerships and ACES are running a campaign to explore the implications for the local government office workplace and also wider concerns including the vibrancy of our towns and cities. In our first webinar, I was delighted to explore with Jackie Sadek, well-known places and spaces expert and Chair of the UK Innovation Corridor, the question of how local authorities should be responding to these changes?
Jackie was very clear. ‘Local authorities should now be taking their role as custodians of place more seriously than ever, using this as a powerful lever to help further support our town centres. We are all getting ready for change. The more optimistic hope for strengthened support for local government; the more pessimistic warn that any new government's priorities will not have local government very high on the list.
‘One thing is for sure: local authority officers will be the constant; council staff will be there to guide. At a time of structural shift, and when the mainstream property industry is frantically looking for alternative uses for office premises, it is the moment for the public sector to be creative with its own assets.
‘For example, hats off to Oldham Council with their innovative repurposing of the Spindles shopping centre into a 450,000 square foot development including offices, co-working spaces, a new home for Tommyfield Market, a food court, an event space, and a heritage archive. All of this is anchored by their own new council offices with various council and partner teams set to trial the space over the coming months.'
Our next webinar on 21 March will explore, with the lead officers concerned, some notable office-led initiatives to help address efficiency challenges facing the sector from both a finance and energy perspective. For first access or for a discussion about this topic, please email me at Martin.Forbes@localpartnerships.gov.uk. The series will culminate in a launch event at the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum on 22 May.
Our thanks to Jackie Sadek for her support of our campaign.
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