Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Workplace 2010?
- Is the Stormont Estate part of your proposals and if so, what assurances can you give that Parliament Buildings and the amenities, including the park and its mature trees, will be preserved?
- What impact is there likely to be on the property market if the civil service starts to dispose of a lot of property in Belfast?
- Does this mean that the NICS is centralising jobs in Belfast?
- How do you propose to handle any equality issues?
- When are the changes likely to happen?
Workplace 2010 is a 5-7 year programme to modernise and rationalise the Northern Ireland civil service office estate. It is to be delivered through a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) type contract. By introducing new accommodation standards that reflect best practice we will be able to provide a modern, attractive and flexible working environment that will support new ways of working and modernisation. We will also be able to accommodate staff in a smaller and more efficient estate thus demonstrating value for money for the taxpayer.
2. Is the Stormont Estate part of your proposals and if so, what assurances can you give that Parliament Buildings and the amenities, including the park and its mature trees, will be preserved?
The proposals include some government office buildings at the Dundonald end of the Stormont Estate. The Stormont Estate (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 removes any legal restrictions to allow these buildings to be included in the Workplace 2010 contract. However, Parliament Buildings, Stormont Castle, Stormont House and the surrounding parklands are specifically excluded from the proposals and will remain completely protected from any deal with the private sector.
3. What impact is there likely to be on the property market if the civil service starts to dispose of a lot of property in Belfast?
Workplace 2010 involves the release of some space and the first phase is likely to see the release of c40,000 sqm but little of this (c14, 000 sq m) could be classed as re-useable office space. Seen in the context of the Belfast office market (700,000 sq m+) it is unlikely that this will have a material impact on supply. Much of the balance of the released space lies on the Stormont Estate and is not suitable for commercial redevelopment.
As the contract involves the refurbishment of a number of properties on their existing sites, there is unlikely to be a significant change to the profile of civil service job location. However, the issue of dispersal and the implications of the Reform of Public Administration have been a key factor in the development of the strategic plan for the office estate. Our proposals have therefore been developed on a phased basis and there will be sufficient flexibility available to respond quickly to future decisions on dispersal. An independent review of policy on the location of public sector jobs in Northern Ireland is currently underway and we will be considering its outcome insofar as it affects Workplace 2010 in due course.
A full Equality Impact Assessment including a period of public consultation, was carried out in 2006 to assess any equality issues or negative impacts as a result of Workplace 2010. The report on the outcome of the consultation is now available.
Invitations were issued on 14 January 2008 to the two remaining bidders, Land Securities Trillium and Telereal inviting them to submit their best and final offers for the contract. Based on the current timetable we expect to award the contract to the successful bidder early in 2009.
