The Complete Guide to Public Sector Estate Reviews

What is a public sector estate review?

A public sector estate review is a comprehensive assessment of your organisation's property portfolio. It examines how well your buildings support service delivery, identifies opportunities for improvement and informs long-term strategic planning.

Unlike routine operational audits, an estate review takes a broader view. It considers asset condition, financial performance, space utilisation, sustainability and strategic alignment. The goal is to answer critical questions: Are we getting value from our properties? Do they support our objectives? Where should we invest, divest or consolidate?

Estate reviews typically cover all property types within your portfolio, including offices, operational buildings, community centres, residential properties and development sites.

Why does my organisation need an estate review?

Financial pressures and value optimisation

Budget constraints continue to challenge public sector organisations, making it essential to extract maximum value from every asset. An estate review helps you:

• Identify underperforming properties
• Reduce running costs and maintenance expenditure
• Prioritise capital investments for greatest impact
• Uncover opportunities for income generation

Meeting sustainability requirements

With Net Zero targets to meet and increasingly stringent energy regulations, you need to understand your estate's environmental performance. Estate reviews enable you to:

• Assess current carbon emissions and energy use
• Plan decarbonisation initiatives strategically
• Identify properties requiring sustainability improvements
• Prioritise investments in renewable energy and efficiency measures

Adapting to changing service delivery

Service delivery is evolving. Hybrid working has changed how many public sector teams use office space, and demographic shifts are affecting demand for healthcare, education and social services. An estate review ensures your properties remain fit for purpose as these needs change.

Evidence-based decision-making

Perhaps most importantly, an estate review provides robust data that supports confident decision-making. Rather than reacting to immediate pressures, you can develop a coherent strategy backed by comprehensive insights.

What does an effective estate review cover?

Asset condition and suitability

• Building surveys to identify properties requiring investment
• Compliance checks and accessibility evaluations
• Assessment of fitness for purpose
• Identification of assets nearing the end of useful life

Financial performance

• Running costs and maintenance expenditure analysis
• Cost-per-square-metre benchmarking
• Income generation opportunities
• Identification of financial outliers and efficiency savings

Space utilisation

• Occupancy rates and usage patterns
• Workspace efficiency analysis
• Opportunities for consolidation or reconfiguration
• Identification of underutilised or surplus assets

Strategic alignment

• How well facilities support service delivery
• Geographic coverage and accessibility assessment
• Current capacity versus future requirements
• Alignment with organisational objectives

Sustainability and energy performance

• Carbon emissions assessment
• EPC ratings analysis
• Opportunities for insulation upgrades
• Renewable energy integration potential

The estate review process

1. Define objectives and scope

What questions do you need answered? What decisions will the review inform? This clarity ensures the work remains focused and delivers actionable insights.

2. Gather baseline data

Collect property registers, financial records, condition reports, energy data and occupancy information. The quality of your baseline data can significantly impact the effectiveness of the review.

3. Conduct site assessments

Our RICS-accredited professionals visit properties to:

• Verify information and assess condition
• Understand how spaces are used in practice
• Consult with stakeholders and users
• Identify immediate concerns or opportunities

4. Analyse findings

With all relevant data captured, you can now benchmark your performance against similar organisations, identify gaps between current provision and future needs, model different scenarios to test potential strategies, and assess cost-benefit ratios for different options.

5. Develop recommendations and strategy

Your findings will allow you to:

• Prioritise recommendations with a clear cost-benefit analysis
• Create a long-term estate strategy roadmap
• Improve alignment with organisational goals
• Implement planning with clear KPIs

How do Eddisons support public sector estate reviews?

At Eddisons, we have extensive experience supporting public sector organisations across the UK. We work with local authorities, NHS trusts, emergency services, educational institutions and central government bodies to deliver estate reviews that drive real improvements.

Why should I choose Eddisons for my estate review?

• Local knowledge, national expertise – 30 offices nationwide with over 180 years of experience
• Framework access – Listed on Crown Commercial Service, Homes England and ESPO frameworks
• Multidisciplinary teams – Valuers, building consultants, sustainability specialists and strategic advisors working together
• Director-level oversight – Strategic guidance on every project
• RICS accreditation – Professional standards and quality assurance

Arrange your public sector estate review

Whether you are planning a comprehensive estate review or need specific advice on property strategy, our team is here to help. We understand the pressures you face and the need to demonstrate value for taxpayer funds. Our commitment is to provide practical, evidence-based insights that support confident decision-making.

Please call 0800 051 2593 or complete the form below to arrange a free consultation. We will discuss your requirements and provide a clear proposal for taking your estate review forward.