Brisbane City Council tipped to formally start looking for new office space in the Brisbane CBD

Thousands of public servants could be relocating in the future with one of Brisbane’s major employers set to go to the market seeking a new head office.

The process to start the search for the long term home for up to 3000 public servants has ramped up and a formal brief could hit the market next month, with a wave of potential new office requirements also gaining momentum.

The Brisbane City Council has engaged Knight Frank to help them with their future workplace needs post Covid.

While no BCC requirement has been presented to the market as yet sources say a requirement will potentially be presented next month for about 30,000sq m to 35,000sq m.

Matt Martin, Knight Frank partner, occupier services, Queensland and Australia, is working with Brisbane City Council but refused to comment.

Currently the council occupies about 45,000sq m at Brisbane Square in the CBD and Green Square in Fortitude Valley. Their leases are expected to expire in 2026 and 2027.

It is understood that any potential new office locations would be near City Hall.

Brisbane City Hall

About 13,000 other Brisbane public servants could be on the move over the next few years with up to 160,000sq m of office space secured or potentially required, sparking a tower construction boom.

Sources say Services Australia, formerly the Department of Human Services, will commit to between 35,000sq m and 38,000sq m in the proposed 38-storey Cbus Property and Nielson Property office tower at 205 North Quay.

Also, State Government-owned corporation Energy Queensland is considering its future workplace needs and may seek between 35,000sq m to 40,000sq m while Queensland Rail is considering its workplace future of up to 35,000sq m.

Queensland Health did have an 18,000sq m office requirement for office space in the Bowen Hills area but is understood to have withdrawn it last Friday.

Originally published as Brisbane City Council tipped to formally start looking for new office space in the Brisbane CBD