Westward Housing in Office Relocation and Office Design from Torquay to Newton Abbot, Devon

Westward Housing Association has undertaken an office relocation to Templar House in Newton Abbot from Hatfield House in Torquay. The move was part of a restructure moving many employees out of Hatfield House in Torbay into a more modern office environment. Business Interiors was involved from an early stage, initially undertaking a workplace appraisal and workplace consultancy with the many departments to ensure all stakeholders put their point across and were involved in the process. The move also involved a change for the company from a cellular offices into an open plan environment, Business Interiors assured a number of concerned staff that the move would be an improvement on their old space and that space planning had taken into account their continued need for privacy. Decisions on unusual office furniture shapes (eventually settling on a 120 degree corner desk standard away from old fashioned corner cores) and upgraded chairs were all taken inclusively with employees, the result has been a real morale boost and people are delighted with their new space, particularly the social openness of the open plan working space.