Horsham 'business space needs' to be gauged after pandemic workplace changes

With more people now working from home, Horsham District Council wants to compile the information to help shape its provision of future business support in the area.

All businesses are being asked to complete an online survey to gather their needs, whether they are remaining the same size, expanding, or reducing their operations.

A council spokesman said: “There is so much anecdotal evidence of changes in businesses’ space needs since the pandemic that we realise we need to better understand more detailed needs to help us shape the economic development support services we offer going forward.

“The Business Space Needs Survey has been designed to be appropriate whatever your current business situation; whether you are outgrowing your current accommodation, consolidating owing to remote working, needing to upgrade your premises to retain staff, or are looking to switch into more flexible arrangements.

“The survey asks generic questions then splits into different sets of tailored questions according to your forecast needs over the next three years. We would encourage as many people as possible to access the survey and have your say.”

The council says that all survey data will be anonymised for analysis of trends but opportunities are given for businesses to identify specific needs they would like help with.

And, it says, with limited allocations of new build business land in the district, the council has reached out to local developers Muse, developing the former Novartis site, and L&G Cala, developers of the north Horsham – Mowbray – site, to ensure that the data gathered can contribute to their development plans.

Every business participant has a chance to win a free team building escape room experience hosted by Horsham-based Major Mindgames. The survey can be accessed via the link: www.horsham.gov.uk/spacesurvey

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The survey will run from today (May 15) until it has achieved an optimum number of responses.

The University of Brighton has said it is interested in the survey results as a potentially unique dataset worthy of further analysis.