This example structure is intended for guidance only.
Agencies should use the best plan structure for them, including whether the plan should include both strategic and operational information in a combined document, or whether it is best to separate into a ‘Strategic property plan’ and an ‘Operational property plan’.
This shows one example of how a property plan could be structured, along with some suggestions for the type of content that could be included in each section. The suggestions are intended to be inclusive and should not limit or restrict the structure or content which may be appropriate for each agency.
Introduce the property plan, its approach for engagement across the organisation, and scope. This includes a description of the plan that enables people reading the plan to clearly understand the portfolio.
Explain what the property plan intends to communicate and achieve.
Leadership endorsement and approval
An area where the Chief Executive or Board can make a short statement of endorsement of the plan appropriately meeting the agency’s needs, and sign it out on behalf of the agency.
Explain the context the property planning was carried out within, including:
This section should also convey any organisational change underway, how it is expected to impact the property portfolio and how the portfolio will support the change.
Key metrics of the agency property portfolio, such as geographical spread, size and quality of estate, the types of work (eg, general office work, contact centre, administration/processing or frontline service delivery) each part of the portfolio supports, where over or under utilisation exists, workforce metrics, and show where and how the portfolio is expected to be impacted with the activities described.
The current state could be organised by region.
Detail the investments and strategic activity the organisation is planning. Good sources for this will be engaging with the teams carrying out strategic intentions, agency outcomes, the Long-Term Investment Plan, the Four-year Plan, workforce planning and service design and planning.
The property plan should describe which of the planned investments and activity has expected or known impact on property or workplace requirements.
Explain, for the investments and activities identified above, and any relevant additional pressures such as the agency’s budget or headcount, the strategic responses intended to be applied to ensure the property portfolio continues to support the organisation in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Also summarise the key risks to the property portfolio and how these are intended to be managed.
Detail what benefits and performance metrics will be tracked and measured at a portfolio level. These may be quite aligned to the Treasury’s property-related Asset Performance Measures (promoted by the Investment Management and Asset Performance team). GPG can assist in selecting some appropriate portfolio-level benefits and measures.
Clearly outline the agency’s position on co-location and communicate who preferred or most compatible co-location partners are, as well as who the agency (or specific functions or business units) will not consider co-locating with and why.
Describe the governance arrangements in place that will ensure:
A useful reference for establishing quality governance is the 'Four Pillars of Governance Best Practice' published by the Institute of Directors in NZ (Inc.).
Detail what co-locations the agency participates in, or is lead agency for, now. Also describe any co-locations currently being worked on or potential co-locations that have been identified.
Detail the affordability of the property plan and included activities, such as:
Also communicate what savings are expected to be made from the property portfolio, if any, and how the savings are being made.
Show the property plan’s high-level actions and key milestones along the plan timeline. The timeline should be as close as possible to the longest lease term the agency holds. For Investment-intensive agencies, this view should align with the Long-term Investment Plan activities.
The plan should also outline the current state of resourcing (eg, roles and finance) controlled by the property team, highlight resourcing pressures, and how this is expected to be addressed.
It can be useful to also show a roadmap of intended actions visually.
Describe the current state of the agency property management capability using the results of completing the GPG capability maturity assessment and any activity planned to improve capability.
Detail what benefits and performance metrics will be tracked and measured across the portfolio. For relevant agencies, these should ideally align with asset performance indicators requested by The Treasury.
Summarise the surplus space the agency has now, and expects to have at any future point, including the level of certainty (recognising the level of uncertainty around surplus space is expected to rise over time).
Provide the key assumptions made and used in the property planning. This is an area that consultants on the Property Consultancy Services panel (established by GPG) can add value, in testing thinking around assumptions being used.