By making unused office space available for local communities everybody benefits

Across the UK, offices sit partially empty while community spaces are disappearing at an alarming rate. Research by JLL shows the average occupancy of office buildings Monday through Friday is just 54%. Meanwhile, according to the Foundation for Future London, 46 community spaces in the capital closed permanently between 2018 and 2023. This mismatch is striking: there is an abundance of unused space that could become a lifeline for local groups and charities – if we choose to make it available.

For those of us who work in an office, life has changed pretty dramatically in recent years. While hybrid working has grown in popularity, the office still holds as a place where people come together to be creative, to collaborate and to benefit from attractive end-of-commute facilities and amenities. But however contemporary and alluring an office building may be, it isn’t occupied all the time, and there are those, particularly local community groups, who would welcome the chance to use unused office space were it to become available.

This means there is an abundance of unused space which, under the right circumstances, could be offered to local community groups. This could be a lifeline for such organisations, many of whom have seen their own facilities closed due to cuts to local authority budgets. Vacant office space, outside working hours, could therefore be part of the solution.

And while it would not be without its challenges, there is an appetite to offer space for some of the week to local groups.

We know this because we conducted research among occupiers, landlords and community organisations into the potential for offering office space to local groups, and 94% of respondents were in favour. This helped to shape our recently published manifesto, Making Space – Commercial Real Estate as a Community Resource, which gives guidance to landlords and occupiers on how to open up their commercial spaces to community users.

Enthusiasm for such a strategy is clearly evident, but there are inevitably challenges. Just 40% of those responding to our survey felt their current office space had the necessary flexibility to cater for external use. And 80% cited security and the confidentiality of work as a potential barrier to sharing their office accommodation.

So where can we make the changes necessary to meet the demand for available space and at the same time satisfy occupier and landlord concerns?

As our manifesto explains, incorporating smart technology systems into building design from the outset will enhance flexibility, efficiency and, in some cases, security. Data on space utilisation will help managers optimise layouts and functions to meet core work and community needs, while systems can control lighting, heating and colling based on the usage of space, ensuring energy is not wasted when areas are not being used.

Shared amenities – conference rooms, kitchens, and recreational areas – can be used by different groups at different times. This approach both maximises the use of these facilities and fosters a sense of community and collaboration. It enhances the life of the building or estate, resulting in a livelier and more vibrant location for employees, and helping create a more enticing working environment.

This approach should also be considered when repurposing existing office space. Involving the local community in the design process ensures the resulting accommodation meets local needs and preferences. Careful design and collaboration can create spaces that serve a purpose for businesses and crucially, in an era of adaptability, begin to give back.

Our manifesto is a call to action for property owners, developers and occupiers to reconsider the role of commercial real estate in their communities. Offering underused space to local groups, charities, and social enterprises, or by building in future flexibility, means we can turn vacancy into opportunity.

As designers, developers and landlords, we have a responsibility create places that are not simply economically productive, but socially valuable as well. As a sector we ought to be leading with empathy, creativity and intent, delivering a more inclusive, more responsive built environment, one that makes space for everyone.