Llanishen tax offices to close

Brunel House has a lot of space, over 82,000 sq ft

http://search.knightfrank.co.uk/CPD155587

I think the absolute legal minimum is 40sq ft per employee, but around 100 is the average. So for 3,800 staff they need between 152,000 and 380,000 sq ft.

British Gas crammed 1200 employees into 70,000 sq ft at Callaghan Square. On that basis HMRC would need about 220,000 sq ft, which just happens to be the same size as an empty Brunel House. I don't think there's anywhere bigger in the city centre.

I'm really hoping it's not the Interchange plot at Central Square, it would mean all that talk of 1,000 or more MoJ jobs isn't true at all. What worries me is some of what we've heard about that fits what we've read today about HMRC.

One thought though if it's not, could the J R Smart site at John Street be in the running for the tax office? It's around 200,000 square foot and they are meant to be putting a plannimg application in for that site in the nee year.

I'm really hoping it's not the Interchange plot at Central Square, it would mean all that talk of 1,000 or more MoJ jobs isn't true at all. What worries me is some of what we've heard about that fits what we've read today about HMRC.

It might well be there.

I'm not sure if the quote from Wales Online that Karl mentioned "The new regional centre in Cardiff will bring our staff together in a more modern and cost-effective building in an area with lower rents" means lower rents than Llanishen or is a reference to HMRC pulling out entirely from central London.

It strikes me it could be a boilerplate quote from HMRC with various place-names inserted.

Modern offices are around 100 sqft per employee so I can't see any office being less than 350,000 sqft. That's huge by Cardiff's standards. I really can't see any existing building in cardiff that meets that criteria.

My best guess is an office complex on the south side of callaghan square, which would be tidy darts.

That would be brilliant if they chose there.

Someone on here was in the know regarding MoJ and that Interchange building. Anyone remember who it was ? I might go back through the Cental Square thread to work it out.

It would be brilliant if that was still the case. Can you imagine how much busier the city centre could be if there was 1,500 MoJ jobs at Central Square, almost 4,000 HMRC at Callaghan Square, an extra 800 or so L&G jobs.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-opinion/regional-centre-cardiff-hmrc-could-10440233

From this article it seems that Central Square and the Network Rail land seem to be in the running for the HMRC office.

I've been digging for MoJ information as well, trying to remember where I'd seen it and there was something dave posted back in September on the 'L&G pours £400m into Cardiff...' thread.

It's in this article

http://m.propertyweek.com/in-depth/market-features/welsh-government-steps-away-from-cardiff-development/5076311.article

and also here, but in this one it mentions the MoJ have confirmed they are not the government department this enquiry is related to. That was in March though.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/could-1000-jobs-way-cardiff-8856765

Of course none of it is confirmed so we'll just have to wait and see. All I know is the number of jobs for that one and the size of space do not equate to the HMRC news we heard yesterday. So unless their plans were originally for an office with less people I'd say there's still something else on the cards in terms of another government relocation.

Fingers crossed.

The articles do suggest that the government want to create a public sector cluster, so having the MoJ, HMRC, PHW in all close proximity could imply the MoJ rumour has an air of truth around it.

Aren't cardiff city council also looking at relocating to the centre as well?

Whilst it makes some sense to have government departments/offices clustered together, I would be very disappointed if the Central Square development becomes dominated public sector tenants.

To me, the point of this new development and indeed the wider enterprise zone, centred round the station with a promise of an electrified line to London, is to entice private business into the capital. Look around Bristol Temple Meads and you see companies like Price Waterhouse Coopers based there. They are the sort of companies we should be attracting, let’s grow the financial, business and legal sectors. Let’s also use the strength of our universities to grow high-tech firms too. Wales has an over reliance on the public sector and we need to do more to encourage private-sector investment and business to come.

Incidentally, it’s worth taking a look at what Bristol have planned. I fear that with their airport, closer proximity to London and electrification reaching them first, Bristol will steal a march on Cardiff.
http://www.bristoltemplequarter.com/