The Commons is a waste of space - literally
Despite all the £ millions spent running the Parliamentary estate, and the £235 million thrown on Portcullis House, today there are 3,500 square meters of empty office space. All prime real estate at the heart of our capital city.
Why is it that Parliament is as bad at managing office space as it has been at running its expense system? Because in a world of “safe seats” and steam age democracy, it answers inward to itself, rather than outward to the people it is supposed to represent. Who gets to sit where is decided by the kind of good old boys who oversaw the expense system.
Be a good boy, and you get a big office, see? I sit proudly in a windowless garret.
Douglas Carswell:
How many empty offices there are on the House of Commons part of the parliamentary estate?
House of Commons Commission:
The number of vacant rooms on the House of Commons estate fluctuates constantly as requirements change or maintenance work is carried out.
The office next to mine that sat unused for a couple of years seemed unused rather constantly.
Only records of current vacancies are maintained.
At present there are 14 unoccupied offices on the estate with a total area of 230m(2). Six of these offices are vacant to enable major roof works to take place in the area known as the "Yellow Submarine" north of Speaker's Court.
There are 2,100m(2) of, open plan offices leased in No. 4 Millbank for use as decant space. Of this, 500m(2) is currently vacant, awaiting fit-out.
There are also 2,800m(2) of vacant, open plan space which is the House of Commons' area of No. 14 Tothill street, a building leased in October 2007 and shared with the House of Lords. This area will be fitted out and available for use by the Department of Resources in autumn 2010.
So the answer to my question is in fact 3,530 square meters. Why could you just not say so?
With office space in London going at about £175 per meter per year, I estimate that’s well over half a £million of empty offices sitting idle. Who says Parliament needs to change?
Posted on 5 November 2009 by Douglas Carswell