Central Square

A bit more on the civil service jobs mentioned above in the press today, and the good news is that Cardiff is now the only location being considered and the space requirement is 160,000sq ft. That's a significant boost for either Central Square, Callaghan Square, Capital Quarter or the Network Rail site south of Cardiff Central.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/cardiff-only-location-uk-being-8856765

that would be good news as civil servants, if it is departmental, would also attract the private sector with it (along the lines of aerospace at Fulton being a short hop from the MOD). Another point is that if the government is serious about rebalancing the UK economy then it could do a lot worse than decentralisation. In today's communications age there really is no justification for needing all government departments in one city.

that would be good news as civil servants, if it is departmental, would also attract the private sector with it (along the lines of aerospace at Fulton being a short hop from the MOD). Another point is that if the government is serious about rebalancing the UK economy then it could do a lot worse than decentralisation. In today's communications age there really is no justification for needing all government departments in one city.

Indeed.

The site in Bristol you talk about is also supplemented by others nearby that all help generate high paid technology and engineering jobs in the South West in general, not just Bristol, with some overspill into South Wales at various Defence suppliers. Likewise those companies will use major legal and financial organisations and various other service sector organisations. It's a big win for the city and hopefully the private sector will benefit with additional jobs eventually.

Its a rather strange turn of phrase at the start if this is public sector - Cardiff being the only location "in the UK" being considered. Surely the public sector wouldn't consider something out the UK?

Be interesting to see what it is exactly. Agree there is probably more scope for decentralising civil service jobs - but there has been a lot already. DWP do a lot out of Sheffield and Newcastle; DfID out of Scotland somewhere. A lot of the core staff really do have to be in London though. It is easy to over-emphasise the power of tele-meetings and internet commuting. Seeing people properly face to face does make lots of things much easier.

A lot of the core staff really do have to be in London though. It is easy to over-emphasise the power of tele-meetings and internet commuting. Seeing people properly face to face does make lots of things much easier.

There's some truth in that as far as Whitehall is concerned but an awful lot of civil service jobs in London and the South East are dispersed across the region. A quick look at the stats suggests that the regions that really miss out on civil service jobs are the English Midlands and Northern Ireland.

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pse/civil-service-statistics/2013/stb-civil-service-statistics--2013.html#tab-Civil-Service-Workforce

NI's figures are skewed as it has its own "civil service", which is separate from the "Home Civil Service" which operates in the rest of the UK. Scottish and Welsh Government civil servants will be counted in these figures, but not those working for the Northern Irish Government (only UK Government agencies with operations in NI - so HMRC, but not DWP, as benefits are operated by NI's own Department for Social Development). On a comparable like-for-like basis NI would stand out as having LOADS of civil service jobs.

And you are right, there is dispersion across the region (and the nation). That includes things like tax offices, job centres, contact centres, etc. I was responding more to what I perceived be the implication that more of the "Whitehall" style jobs could be nearshored to somewhere like Cardiff or Glasgow. I was saying I think thats possible, but not sure how advisable it is. My experience working in a similar "knowledge intensive" job is its just easier to be in the office 5 minutes from colleagues working on other aspects of the same project. Rather than trying to communicate via Skype. It just doesn't work that well.

is this new ? (transport hub)

No I think this is quite an old design, and have seen it before.

The plans for 2 Central Square and the site of the old Thompson House have moved on a fair bit since this though.

I haven't got my glasses with me in work today. Can you make that picture bigger please. Thanks.

Sorry about the size, but Scroll right to see winning transport hub entry