When temporary premises are a real relocation option
- Topic
- Relocation decisions
- Reading time
- 3 minutes
- Last reviewed
On this page
A temporary premises option is useful only if it can support the work the business intends to do there. Space advertised for storage should not enter the plan as a ready substitute for an operating workshop.
Write down the proposed activities and duration before asking about price. Identify whether the business needs to produce, inspect, meet customers, despatch goods or simply hold items. Different temporary proposals may cover only some of those functions.
What would this base actually provide?
Use a short feasibility record before including the site in the move programme:
| Question | Evidence or decision needed |
|---|---|
| Work proposed | A specific activity list, including customer and staff attendance |
| Permission | Advice on property terms and any required planning or other approvals |
| Technical suitability | Competent assessment for the intended activity and equipment |
| Support | Accepted arrangements for records, supervision, services and facilities |
| Duration | Start, expected finish and the position if the main move is delayed |
| Second move | Assessed work, cost and interruption needed to leave the temporary base |
GOV.UK's planning guidance directs readers to the local planning authority to establish whether a proposal needs permission, with separate routes for devolved systems. The property agreement and any other activity-specific permissions also need their own review. Ask the advisers whether any provisions for temporary use apply to the specific proposal.
Compare the full interruption
A fictional engineering business needs an alternative base while a permanent site is prepared. Proposal A offers storage only. Proposal B might support a limited finishing and despatch function, subject to assessment and agreement.
A cannot be costed as if it keeps the whole business operating. B needs a clear description of the narrower service that could continue. The owner must account for work neither option can support and resolve customer commitments through the appropriate commercial process.
Both proposals also need an exit. Moving into a temporary base can create another period of packing, transfer, setup and business interruption before the permanent arrangement works. Ask the relevant specialists and suppliers to assess the actual scope rather than doubling a transport quote and calling that the second-move budget.
Ask what happens if temporary becomes longer
Identify the decision date by which the permanent site must be ready. Ask the property adviser and provider what would happen if the temporary arrangement needed to continue. Do not presume renewal, unchanged costs or permission for a broader activity.
Compare the option with an appropriately advised short extension at the existing premises, if available. Each route has different commitments and technical questions; neither is automatically preferable.
Check service requirements and permitted activities before treating the temporary base as ready. Keep outstanding matters visible in the owner's decision.
If the final operating model creates surplus equipment, explain the temporary stage in the UK Auction Group enquiry. An item may be required through that stage even if it will not be needed at the permanent site. Give the actual release condition rather than only the final destination list.
The relocation hub covers the wider choice of operating arrangement.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Planning permission Checked
This guide is general information and education only. Legal, tax, employment and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser who knows your situation. Read the disclaimer.