Article by Jonathan Ratcliffe from Cardiff Office Agency Offices.co.uk

Enquiries for out of town offices in Cardiff have increased over the last month, as car parking and the ability to social distance enhances the appeal of sites such as Cardiff Gate demonstrating a shift away from the city centre.

I wouldn’t say people are deserting Cardiff city centre but what we are seeing is a clear short-term spike in interest in office sites with car parking, good transport links and smaller private office suites. It’ll be interesting to see if this continues into the medium term.

The post-Covid office market is quite different to what it was before. Employers are listening to what their staff are asking for, and there is a clear shift away from busy central areas and public transport. Out of town sites such as the Cardiff Gate development with direct access to the M4 are ideal for those now driving to work.

You’d not ideally want to drive into Cardiff city centre, so if you are travelling by car to work, as many of us are currently, you want to a direct commute and a car parking space. People are actively avoiding other people on public transport. Car parking is the key feature tenants are asking for now.

The demand for large physical office space in the city centre is set to reduce as the trend for remote working gathers pace – however it is thought some form of office will still be required. Out of town demand is increasing now, as face-to-face meetings go virtual and therefore a city location becomes less important.

Cardiff for example has plenty of choice of city centre office spaces, however it is the options on the outskirts where the current demand lies. Sites like Cardiff Gate (CF23), which enjoy car parking, superb transport links, cheaper desk prices and more open space, seem to be the go-to area over the past month.

The centre of Cardiff is relatively quiet still. However, we know, once a vaccine has been developed and the fear has gone, that they will once again thrive. But for now it’s all about cars and smaller private offices for those wanting to get back to work.