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Not only a contraction of business and the fact that many office workers are now working from home - and so much admin can now be done online - I get the feeling that built office blocks may find fewer businesses wanting office space plus there could be a question mark over those not yet built. This, of course, not only applies to Birmingham but other cities. If the city can attract government departments to move out of London and to Birmingham then maybe that could be a good thing.
RR, I think you are absolutely correct............We are seeing the same in the US & Canada and I am sure most industrialized countries. i saw a fellow on a business channel talking about this, he said that the work from home or virtual working, we were now where it was thought we would be in 2024/5!
 
With all these people working from home will the councils soon be charging them business rates?
 
They should normally, at least on a proportion based on how much of the house is used for business. Presumably this has been put on hold in the lockdown, but I would expect it to be implemented after
 
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Not only a contraction of business and the fact that many office workers are now working from home - and so much admin can now be done online - I get the feeling that built office blocks may find fewer businesses wanting office space plus there could be a question mark over those not yet built. This, of course, not only applies to Birmingham but other cities. If the city can attract government departments to move out of London and to Birmingham then maybe that could be a good thing.
I agree completely. I have expressed concerns about the speed & size of development before now. There is already lots of empty office space in the City centre, yet they keep building more.

There is only so much office space required & the current situation has shown that the already slow creep towards home working has now turned into a sprint!

I think you are right that future office developments have a question mark over them. I think maybe housing will be the way to go. You look at old pictures & maps & there used to be a lot of residential in the City, then it all but vanished, I can see it swinging back the other way.

Would do the City good to have more full time residents.
 
The box and pages of Thomas Attwood is now back in Chamberlain Square.



View of the statue on the new steps.

So glad to see him bac
They should normally, at least on a proportion based on how much of the house is used for business. Presumably this has been put on hold in the lockdown, but I would expect it to be implemented after
I don't think so.

Would be different if you were running a business from home, but as an employee working from home it doesn't make the property a commercial premises. The business you work for pays the rates.

Many people worked from home before & those people didn't pay business rates (and I've known plenty of people in that situation over the years including many at the company I work for now), so I don't see why it should change now.
 
Thank you Judi
What I was thinking of , from memory, was the following :
" If you make it clear that part of your home is dedicated for business use it may attract the attention of the local authority Valuation Office who could look to apply business rates. If the space is for "mixed use", personal as well as business use, then business rates should not be applied. "
Though looking at this it would appear that it is only a possibility.
 
Thank you Judi
What I was thinking of , from memory, was the following :
" If you make it clear that part of your home is dedicated for business use it may attract the attention of the local authority Valuation Office who could look to apply business rates. If the space is for "mixed use", personal as well as business use, then business rates should not be applied. "
Though looking at this it would appear that it is only a possibility.
I think for the vast majority "mixed use" would apply - for instance working at the kitchen table, or (as in my case) a spare bedroom that is also used for personal things.
 
Found this "Paradise" video on YouTube (posted July 2020)

It is a "speeded up" run though of the changes which took place on the Paradise site over the last 4 years, the knocking down of the old library and the building of the first two buildings.

It is from a webcam situated on top of the Birmingham Museum and Art Galley

 
As it was such a lovely sunny day today (Thursday 20th August 2020) I decided to go up to Birmingham for the first time in months.

Here are some photos of the Paradise development.

Photo 1 below is Two Chamberlain Square. I believe currently only the top two floors have been taken, but I guess other companies are looking at the building as it is now finished.

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Photo 2 below is One Chamberlain Square. This building has been taken by PWC (Price Waterhouse Cooper).

A restaurant has already opened on the ground floor

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Photo 3 below shows One Chamberlain Square and Two Chamberlain Square.

The path between them can be used to walk from the city centre and Victoria Square in to Centenary Square, Brindley place etc.

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While the Paradise site was being cleared and the buildings built a useful passageway called Congreve Passage was closed off.

This was a useful route for people to get from Victoria Square and City Centre to the Jewellery Quarter and nearby areas.

Congreve Passage is now fully open (and has been for a while).

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Here is a view looking down Congreve Passage. The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is on the right (currently not open).

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So many of the photos by Elliot in this thread are lacking the hustle and bustle usually associated with city and town centres. There is now a concern that many people employed in offices may not return to work but continue working from home. Some companies are already cutting back on office requirements and others looking at flexi hours. This most likely will make those small businesses, who rely on office workers for trade, to close down or in turn reduce their opening hours.
I am sure much that has been built will not find occupants for some while, if ever, for the purpose they were built. Presumably alternative uses might be found?
There seems little to attract people there which, I guess, does not help matters.
 
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